Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach (1927)

Illustrated by Violet Brunton

 

 

 

On the left, we show a rare copy of Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach.

 

This example retains the original decoratively black-stamped cream cloth cover that is among the

recognised variant bindings applied to the 1st Edition.

 

Co-published by John Lane, The Bodley Head (London) and Dodd, Mead and Company (New York)

in 1927, all examples of the 1st Edition were printed by John Johnson at the University Press (Oxford).

 

 

 

 

 

Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach is an Apocryphal text from the Old Testament.

 

The introductory 'Comment with Quotations' provided by C Lewis Hind provides thoughtful word on Brunton's art

and the ancient text it accompanies. A select quotation from Hind's words follows.

 

The purposes of this 'Comment with Quotations' is to introduce the drawings, made by

Miss Violet Brunton, to illustrate 'Ecclesiasticus'. When I first saw them I must admit that

I was startled, but to be startled, at first glace, is not a bad impulse towards the

appreciation of art - especially modern art.

 

I was startled because the idea of illustrating the sad wisdom of the cultured Jew who

wrote 'Ecclesiasticus' two hundred years before Christ seemed strange. But why not? The

Bible has been illustrated again and again, and to illustrate a classic strikingly is to

introduce the classic to more readers.

 

Again - I was startled at the idea of illustrating so grave a book as this in colour. But

why not? The scenes amid which the author of 'Ecclesiasticus' lived and moved were

gay with colour, and these ancient peoples had a fine sense of the decorative value

of a pageant - domestic or civic. Miss Violet Brunton's instinct was probably right, and

fitter than mine which inclined to the austerity of black and white. I applaud her

courage in making these decoratively modern drawings to illustrate the thought of

a wise Jew who lived two thousand or more years ago, whose book, to give it the

full title, is 'The Wisdom of Jesus the Son or Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus'. In these drawings

the ancient and the modern amazedly meet.

 

If an Introducer may be allowed to have an opinion, my preferences are for 'Lend not

to a man that is mightier than thyself'; 'My son, be not busy about many matters'; 'He

that is wanting in understanding thinketh upon these things'; 'All these put their trust

in their hands'; 'Fear not the sentence of death'. 'Like' is not the word for the grim

ones; but the text, at times, is grim.

 

As noted by Hind, the ancient text - as illustrated by Violet Brunton - is interpreted in typical idiosyncratic manner

by this wonderful British artist with both her colour illustrations and monotone images for the cover and marginalia.

 

 

Our Greeting Cards and Reproduction Images

 

For connoisseurs of Brunton's work, we have prepared sets of 16 Greeting Cards displaying each of her colour images for Ecclesiasticus, or the Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach and on the left, we show an example of how these Greeting Cards appear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Code: VB E CS(16)
Price: US$80.00

 

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-in plates - in hommage to the hand-crafted

approach typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century. Each card is

hand-finished and the images are presented on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. The rear of each

card carries information about Violet Brunton, this wonderful suite and the profiled illustration - we have left the

interior of the cards blank so that you may write your own personal message.

 

Should you wish to order a Reproduction Print of one or more of these images, we have provided some options below.

Each of these large format prints is also accompanied by information about Violet Brunton, this suite and the profiled

illustration.

 

To purchase, simply click on the appropriate "Add to Cart" button and you will be taken through to our Shopping Cart

secured through PayPal. Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and handling costs to any

destination in the world are accommodated by our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth of purchases.

 

Of course, should you wish to discuss some customised options, we welcome your contact on any matter through

ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

 

In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful images from Violet Brunton.

 

 

The colour illustrations

 

Look not round about thee in the

streets of the city, neither wander

thou in the solitary places thereof

(Frontispiece)

 

 

Be not as a lion in thy house, nor

fanciful among thy servants

Justify not thyself in the presence of

the Lord; and display not thy wisdom

before the king

Lend not to a man that is mightier

than thyself; and if thou lend, be as

one that hath lost

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C1 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C2 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C3 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C4 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Keep thee far from the man that hath

power to kill, and thou shall have no

suspicion of the fear of death

 

 

My son, be not busy about many

matters: for if thou meddle much,

thou shalt not be unpunished

There is one that toileth, and laboureth,

and maketh haste, and is so much the

more behind

All flesh waxeth old as a garment;

For the covenant from the beginning

is, Thou shalt die the death

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C5 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C6 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C7 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C8 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Desire not a multitude of unprofitable

children, neither delight in ungodly

sons

 

 

He that is wanting in understanding

thinketh upon these things; and an

unwise and erring man thinketh follies

Make not merry in much luxury;

neither be tied to the expense thereof

Has thou heard a word? let it die with

thee: Be of good courage, it will not

burst thee

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C9 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C10 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C11 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C12 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

A wise sentence from a fool's mouth

will be rejected; for he will not speak

it in its season

 

 

All these put their trust in their hands;

and each becometh wise in his own

work

There is wrath, and jealousy, and

trouble, and disquiet, and fear of

death, and anger, and strife; and

in the time of rest upon his bed his

night sleep doth change his

knowledge

 

 

Fear not the sentence of death;

remember them that have been

before thee, and that come after:

this is the sentence from the Lord

over all flesh

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C13 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C14 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C15 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

Reproduction on 12x18" sheet

Code: VB E C16 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00