The Birth, Life, and Acts of King Arthur. Of his noble Knights of the Round Table, their marvellous enquests and adventures, the achieving of the San Greal, and in the end le morte d'Arthur with the dolourous death and departing out of this world of them all. The Text as Imprinted by William Caxton at Westminster The Year MCCCCLXXXV and now Spelled in Modern Style. With an Introduction by Professor Rhys and Embellished with Many Original Designs.

BEARDSLEY, Aubrey (illus.); MALORY, Sir Thomas.

Edité par London: J. M. Dent, 1893-94

A propos de cet article

First Beardsley edition, one of 1,500 ordinary paper copies, from a total edition of 1,800. This, Beardsley's first major project, made his name and contains almost half his total artistic output. This copy includes the original 12 light blue wrappers bound at the rear of each volume. "If he had never illustrated another book, this edition of Morte D'Arthur could stand as a monument of decorative book illustration" (Lewis, pp. 148-9). As well as the 20 full- and double-page plates, Beardsley contributed to virtually all the textual decorations, designing the chapter headings, borders, initials, and ornaments. Even so, he refused to fulfil the original commission of 500 drawings: the 351 that appeared in the first edition took 18 months to complete. Beardsley introduced several incongruous elements into the later drawings, including the satyrs of classical mythology (see, for instance, Volume II, p. 731). "Often shockingly overt in their sexuality and eroticism, the illustrations rejected the aesthetic of the Pre-Raphaelites who were Beardsley's original mentors and offered a revisionist and parodic treatment of their medievalism. Ultimately, Beardsley went far beyond his original intention to 'flabbergast the bourgeois' of his day; he also challenged generations of readers and artists to view Arthurian society through his own modernist lens" (Lupack, pp. 75-91). Beardsley's edition was issued in 12 monthly parts. The ordinary and special issue were published simultaneously from June 1893 to mid-1894. The purchaser was given the option of sending the complete run back to the publisher, who bound them in vellum or in a cream cloth case-binding. Malory's work, first published in 1485 by William Caxton, compiled the legends of Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, Gawain, and the Knights of the Round Table. "It is the only true English epic; its matter is 'the Matter of England'. The matchless style, the humour, the magnificence, the magic that takes away the breath, combine in a masterpiece of legendary narrative. Each century has produced its own version of the Arthurian tapestry, but Malory's will never be forgotten" (PMM). Lasner 22; Printing and the Mind of Man 29 (first edition). Edmund Vincent Gillon, Illustrations for Le Morte D'Arthur, 1972; John Noel Claude Lewis, The 20th Century Book: Its Illustration and Design, 1967; Barbara Tepa Lupack, Illustrating Camelot, 2008. 2 vols, quarto (238 x 191 mm). Engraved frontispiece to each vol., 18 wood-engraved plates (5 double-page), numerous text illustrations, and approximately 350 repeated designs for chapter headings and borders, all by Aubrey Beardsley. Contemporary red half morocco, spines lettered and decorated in blind and gilt, raised bands, mottled paper sides, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, others uncut, original light blue paper wrappers bound in at rear of each vol. Light bumping and wear, minor browning and infrequent offsetting to contents, a couple of leaves unopened, closed tears to leaf 2T7 (Vol. II): a very good copy.

N° de réf. du vendeur 172898

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: The Birth, Life, and Acts of King Arthur. Of his noble Knights of the Round Table, their marvellous enquests and adventures, the achieving of the San Greal, and in the end le morte d'Arthur with the dolourous death and departing out of this world of them all. The Text as Imprinted by William Caxton at Westminster The Year MCCCCLXXXV and now Spelled in Modern Style. With an Introduction by Professor Rhys and Embellished with Many Original Designs.
• Éditeur: London: J. M. Dent, 1893-94
• Édition: Edition originale