morte darthur birth life acts de malory sir thomas illus aubrey (6 résultats)

Boards in d.j. Facsimile Edition. Quarto, original cloth boards lavishly decorated in gilt all sides, gilt decorated dustjacket, copious b&w illus (full page and text illus), pp liv, 624. Very good condition in like d.j. (heavy book, please inquire regarding postage.) Facsmile edition of J.M. Dent's famous second, limited edition, which was published in 1909. Dent specially commissioned Aubrey Beardsley to do the illustrations for its first edition in 1893-94, and the book launched his tragically short career. Beardley illustrates Malory's 15th century text with a wealth of drawings in his distinctive style: full-page illustrations, ornamental borders, ornamental initials, headpieces and in-text decorations. A landmark in publishing and illustration.

With an Introduction by Professor Rhys. 2 vols. Embellished with many original designs by Aubrey Beardsley. 4to, publisher's white gilt-decorated cloth, t.e.g. First edition; one of 1,500 copies. Attractive old bookplate on the pastedown of Vol. I. Spines and cloth sides very slightly tanned; small black stain near the center of the spine of Volume I; contents clean and attractive.

First Beardsley edition, one of 1,500 copies on ordinary paper. This was the artist's first major commission and the book that launched the "Beardsley look" (Gillon, p. iv). In 1892, seeking to emulate the books of the Kelmscott Press, John M. Dent commissioned the 20-year-old Beardsley to produce this edition, a project that took the artist 18 months to complete. "In Le Morte d'Arthur Beardsley learnt his job, but the result is no bungling student's work. 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). The work was first published, to some controversy, in 12 monthly magazine instalments between June 1893 and mid-1894. "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). The work was issued by subscription in 12 parts between June 1893 and November 1894 in an edition of 1,500 copies on standard paper, as here, and 300 copies on Van Gelder paper. Edmund Vincent Gillon, Illustrations for Le Morte D'Arthur, 1972; John Lewis, The Twentieth Century Book, 1984; Barbara Tepa Lupack, Illustrating Camelot, 2008. 2 vols, large octavo. Photogravure frontispieces, 18 wood-engraved plates (5 double-page), illustrations within text, borders, and historiated initials, all by Aubrey Beardsley. Original yellow cloth, spine lettered in gilt, spine and front cover stamped in gilt with floral design by Beardsley, rear cover stamped in gilt with publisher's device, top edge gilt, others uncut, blue cloth bookmarkers. Spines faintly toned and cocked, corners gently bumped, damp stain to foot of front board and endleaves of vol. II, foxing to edges, spots to top edge of vol. I, bookmarkers a little frayed, contents clean and printing crisp: in very good condition.

First Beardsley edition, one of 1,500 copies on ordinary paper, and scarce with the cloth in such bright condition. This was Beardsley's first major commission and the book that launched the "Beardsley look" (Gillon, p. IV). In 1892, seeking to emulate the books of the Kelmscott Press, John M. Dent commissioned the 20-year-old Beardsley to produce this edition, work that took the young artist 18 months to complete. "In Le Morte d'Arthur Beardsley learnt his job, but the result is no bungling student's work. 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). The work was first published in 12 monthly magazine instalments between June 1893 and mid-1894 to some controversy. "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" Tepa Lupack, Chapter 4). La Morte Darthur was an immediate sensation upon publication. Provenance: Robert, or Robin, Henri Louis-Charles de Beaumont (1926-2023), with his bookplate on the front pastedown of each volume. De Beaumont was an architect and later became an antiquarian book dealer and collector. He donated a large collection of British wood-engraved illustrated books to the British Museum in 1992. 2 vols, large octavo. Engraved frontispiece to each vol., 18 wood-engraved plates (including 5 double-page), numerous text illustrations, and approximately 350 repeated designs for chapter headings and borders, all by Aubrey Beardsley. Original yellow cloth, spine lettered in gilt, spine and front cover stamped in gilt with floral design, publisher's device in gilt on rear cover, top edge gilt, others uncut, some leaves unopened, one red and one blue cloth bookmarker. Cloth unusually retaining much of its original yellow hue, just a couple of marks, spines slightly darkened, mild toning to endpapers and pp. 766-7, text rubbed at pp. 912-3, occasional foxing: a very good copy.

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.

First Beardsley edition, an out of series unnumbered copy of one of 300 deluxe copies on Dutch handmade paper, from a total edition of 1,800. The book was issued in 12 parts in wrappers, with the purchaser given the choice of sending it back to the publisher, who bound them in vellum or cloth, or to a binder of their own. In 1892, seeking to emulate the books of the Kelmscott Press, John M. Dent commissioned the 20-year-old Beardsley to produce this edition, work that took the young artist 18 months to complete. "In Le Morte d'Arthur Beardsley learnt his job, but the result is no bungling student's work. 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). The work was first published in 12 monthly magazine instalments between June 1893, and mid-1894. "Aubrey Beardsley's Morte Darthur was one of the most original and certainly one of the most controversial of the nineteenth-century artistic reinterpretations of Malory" which "established Beardsley as the voice of the 1890s" (Tepa Lupack, Chapter 4). "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" (ibid.). La Morte Darthur was an immediate sensation upon publication. Lasner 22. Lewis, John, The Twentieth Century Book, Herbert Press Ltd, 1984, pp. 148-9; Ray, The Illustrator and the Book in England from 1790 to 1914, Oxford University Press, 1976, p. 314; Tepa Lupack, Barbara Illustrating Camelot, D. S. Brewer, 2008. 3 vols (243 x 188 mm). With photogravure frontispieces on India paper to vols I and III, 18 full-page wood engravings with tissue guards (5 double-page), numerous text illustrations and approximately 350 designs for chapter headings and borders (foliate and historiated) all by Aubrey Beardsley printed in red and black. Contemporary half vellum, titles in gilt to red calf labels to spines, foliate gilt rulings to spine ends, brown morocco grain cloth sides, marbled edges and endpapers. Light soiling to vellum, slight bumps to tips, top edge of book block dust toned, sporadic faint foxing occasional and offsetting from full-page engravings and toning to their edges, a very good set.