Le Morte D'Arthur: Complete, Unabridged, Illustrated Edition

Book Description

"A complete, unabridged edition of one of the most famous chronicles of the Arthurian legends comes with new illustrations. Edited by a lifelong scholar of the legends, the book includes some widely accepted corrections."--Publishers Weekly

The epic story of King Arthur never fails to stir the imaginations of readers everywhere, and this outstanding illustrated version showcases original artwork that creates a unique vision of Camelot. Some of these breathtaking watercolors and pen-and-inks have hung in museums, including the depiction of Tintagel Castle, the Sword in the Stone, Merlin and Nimue, and Guenevere rescued from the stake. With remarkable accuracy, Anna-Marie Ferguson captures every nuance of the historical period, from the knights' shining armor to the intricate architecture to the English forests. Yet she also revels in the fantasy, with mysterious and magical landscapes, misty and moonlit. These legends have always been a treat for the mind--and now they are a feast for the eyes, too.

About the Artist
Anna-Marie Ferguson studied graphic art at Southampton College in the UK, and her work has appeared in various galleries and books--particularly volumes of fairy tales. Anna-Marie served as the "Arthurian expert" on the recent NBC mini-series, Merlin.

Customer Reviews:

An epic disappointment.......2006-03-24

Having enjoyed Arthurian legend in modern retelling, I thought it behove me to go back to an early source. If you are expecting a rousing good story in the style of Mists of Avalon, or Mary Stewarts quartet, or even the Once and future king/The sword in the Stone, you will be quite let down. If you want bare, basic recitation of events (mostly repeating in pattern) then the book is what to expect.

What a disappointment. Vast tracts of the story are just about Sir, X,Y or Z encountering Sir A, B, C in some forest, jousting like boars, either killing one, or coming to a gentleman's agreement that the loser go to King Arthur's court. Incredibly tedious, no character generation, England seems spotted by bored knights just looking for a joust with convenient castles just dotted about.
At the least the beginnign about Arthur was intriguing, thought the Roman Emperor stuff stretches credibility even in fiction.
The book shows us that medieval chivlary was not as portrayed in modern retellings. Knights such as Tristram sleep around, get into love triangles etc. Horses are killed deliberately in battle, the only form of entertainment seems to be jousting, and few deeds seem to be of intrinsic good worth, in the modern sense. Even Tristram, a so called great love story, falls into the formulaic element I describe above. Everynight seems for the duration of his moment in the book to be passing good, and be the best in the world. Tristram kills a hundred knights in one day by hand, again not credible and not even written with any sense of epic. His love story with Isould does not capture the reader, I simply don't care about him or Isould.

There is nothing like a modern novel ( perhaps to be expected as this is touted as the first thing approaching a modern novel ), no character generation, no motivation etc.
I remember Monty Python's spoof of this, a bunch of crazy English actors (but well educated) prancing around jousting and carousing. They meant the movie as a spoof, but were not too far from the book in many respects.

What a shame!

Oh, dear..........2006-03-09

If you want to read about hundreds of duels, in a forest, between knights on horseback while they fight each other following the same scenario, duel after duel for more than 1000 (!) pages, following the same pattern while nothing changes but the color of their armor, then this book should be your cup of tea.

The fight can end in two different ways: either the bad guy is beheaded or his life will be spared on condition that he goes to the court of King Arthur and confess his crimes before the King and the Queen.
That's it. Plot? None. Psychology of the differend characters? None.

This book reminds me of those video games where one enemy pops up after the other and all you have to do is hit the 'attack' button.
If you like to read an interesting and engrossing book written in the middle ages I can recommend you 'The Complete Romances of Chrétien de Troyes'.

A Good Read..........2005-12-13

Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte D'Arthur is the culmination of twenty one smaller books written by Malory while incarcerated during the late fifteenth century. Little else in known about Malory himself, however, this romance of Old England draws its material from accounts and legends of chivalrous English Kings, and today inspires and entertains creative minds of all backgrounds. Legend has it that the adult King Arthur is based on a Roman General who claimed lordship over the Anglicans after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire. Verifiable facts regarding the historical origins of King Arthur and his knights, if there are any, are very scarce. For this reason, as well as speculation regarding how much of Malory's work is factually based, it is near impossible to discern fact from fiction in Arthurian Legend. This same conundrum holds true for other anonymous or unknown Arthurian authors as well.
As the title implies, Le Morte D'Arthur describes in great detail the life and death of King Arthur of Camelot; it also gives an account of the lives and intertwining relationships of King Arthur's knights, lords, women, and other members of his court. Themes central in Le Morte D'Arthur are chivalry, honor, loyalty to one's King, Country and God (in that order), as well as what the aforementioned traits are not. In his work, Malory provides a plethora of examples to illustrate these themes.
At the time it was penned, there were several kings in Briton. In the eighth book, it is clear that loyalty in Arthurian times was paramount. Queen Elizabeth of Liones, upon dying to bear her lord's son inquires of her lord (the king)'s well-being. She is more concerned with her king's life than her own. Elizabeth was more than a wife and queen, she was also her king's humble servant. In the first chapter, Tristram's father, King Meliodas, is hunting when he comes under the spell of a `lady [not his wife the Queen] [...] and he was taken prisioner (238).' As time persisted, his wife `waxed great with child [...](238)' and missed her lord. Taking a gentlewoman (midwife) with her, she races into the forest to find her lord. Queen Elizabeth did not make it far into the woods before going into labor:

When ye see my lord [,] [...] recommend me unto him, and tell him what pains I endure here for his love [,] [...] and that I am full sorry to depart out of this world from him [.] (239)

Even in the face of death, and uncertainty for the life of the child, Queen Elizabeth was primarily concerned with the wellbeing of her king.
In all of circumstances, the noblest of persons in Le Morte D'Arthur are always loyal to their kings.
Books XV-XVII, Pp. 205-270 in the second volume, hold the conclusion of King Arthur's quest for the Sangreal, or The Holy Grail. After being commissioned by God, King Arthur summons his most elite, loyal knights to aid in his quest. What unfolds in those three books could be called the greatest story of chivalrous bravery in Romantic Literature. Knowing full well that only the purest, chaste of all the knights could find the Sangreal and bring it home to Camelot, the knights waged tremendous battles, searched tirelessly, some even died, to uphold their holy covenant with their king, their God, and their holy quest.
At the time Malory was writing Le Morte D'Arthur, he had to imagine that only the most wealthy would be reading his work, for the simple fact that they were the only people who could afford to learn to read. This edition targets a more mature, educated audience, judging by the subject matter, language, and tone of the work.
From this is sprung an illustration of the differences between one hundred years of style and editing. At some point in one's life, I recommend reading Le Morte D'Arthur. It would be best if the reader is a little older, a little wiser, when the book is read. A targeted, more educated audience would better appreciate the plot complexities and historical/religious/contemporary themes of the work. As with any literary work, it is best to always acquire the most recent edition in order to read a more modern translation.

-Ben Taylor

The once and future king..........2005-09-10

Sir Thomas Mallory was a great one to write the adventures of King Arthur and his knights - a knight himself, he led a life of intrigue and adventure, albeit not one that always lived up to the ideas of chivalry he penned at the heart of the Arthurian legends. Mallory did not invent Arthur; he is one of the principle medieval chroniclers, having time (he was in prison with nothing else to do, after all) to set down in prose stories he'd heard throughout his life. These were popular tales, not always told in the same way with the same details, as is true of most oral legends and transmitted stories, much to the later frustration of scholars and readers. The earliest printing of Mallory's stories had his authorship suppressed by Caxton, one of the better-known publishers of the time.

The earliest Arthurian legends date back as far as the late Roman times in Britain. Controversies abound, but many have settled on a late Roman or Romano-British general named Arturius - however, given the linguistic nature of the name (it is derivative of ruler or leader), it is impossible to know if this was in fact a name or a title, and the legends may be compilations of the acts of many leaders bearing the name. There was also a Welsh leader with the name/title Arddu, 'Dark One', who is sometimes conflated into Arthurian legend. Arthur was celebrated in the pre-Norman times for the order and stability he represented; Arthur was celebrated in post-Norman times for his campaigns against Saxons. Arthur continues to be an intriguing character, today reminiscent of ancient mysteries as well as pagan and new age ideas as well.

In any event, Mallory doesn't attach specific dates to his tales. The book actually consists of many tales. The first is entitled 'The Tale of King Arthur', which introduces the figures of Merlin, Gawain, Uwayne, Pellinore, Morgan le Fay (the Celtic war goddess Morgana, dressed up as Arthur's sister) and others, and includes the sword-in-the-stone event. While this text has been modernised by Keith Baines, there are certain crucial lines left in Mallory's English, including this most famous one:

Whoso pulleth oute this swerd of this stone and anvyld is rightwys kynge borne of all Brytaygne

Following this tale, Mallory includes many of the famous tales in Arthurian legend as stories more or less complete in themselves, but still linking to the other tales. 'The Tale of Sir Lancelot du Lake' is a knight's tale indeed, with no fewer than twenty horseback duels back-to-back. 'The Tale of Sir Gareth' is a similar spirited tale, less well known. 'The Book of Sir Tristram of Lyoness' makes Tristram and Iseult, famous by other writers as well, into lovers, this time with a more happy ending than usual. The lesser known 'Tale of Arthur and Lucius' describes battles and skirmishes with the emperor, but never really captured popular imagination.

Mallory saves the best for last, with three major tales - 'The Tale of the Sangreal', the Holy Grail; 'The Book of Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere'; and finally, 'Le Morte D'Arthur'. The tale of the Holy Grail continues into the present day in various fashions; here is contains strange glosses of the Old and New Testaments, as well as a good number of miracles, as one would expect from the Grail. The last tale, the death of Arthur, is probably the most famous, and the best written.

Even though an English knight, the courtly fashion was after a French design for many centuries after the Norman conquest, and this French influence in notable in the stories, from their titles to their plots and characterisations, including the places Mallory uses.

This edition is illustrated beautifully by Anna-Marie Ferguson who studied art at Southampton College, and is known for similar graphic representations in collections of fairy tales, a literary form not dissimilar to the Aruthurian saga. John Matthews has provided a good edition of the text of Mallory, complete and unabridged here.

Arthur lives on into the modern world and beyond.

A beautiful book!.......2005-01-14

The core story of Arthur: how he defeated the Saxons and saved the Britons is completely absent in this late Medieval canonical version of the Arthur story. What we have is an English re-telling of the tales the French told about him, ultimately going back to Welsh sources. Arthur is clearly portrayed as English in this re-telling, and has all the apparatus of a 15th Century monarch, such as Parliament, tournaments etc. In a sense, this book summarizes the whole cultural experience of the Middle Ages! This particular edition of the book is absolutely beautiful! It has nice, large print and is decorated brilliantly throughout with paintings of the legends with a lovely Medieval-Celtic-mysterious theme.
The main storytelling strategy employed is that of the unexpected: there are always knights, ladies, giants, wizards, sorceresses and strange beasts popping up, requiring the knights to take some kind of action.
The stories can get quite crude at times, both sexually and otherwise (the parts involving giants and maidens is quite disturbing actually!), and we have to throw out our traditionally held ideas of what knighthood is all about in order to appreciate what is really at work here. 'Gentle maidens' are not 'gentle' in the modern sense, but rather 'powerful/upper-class' and seem to have a penchant for slaying their enemies and causing just as much damage as the knights do: HARDLY the sterotype we are accustomed to regarding ladies in the time of 'knights in shining armour'. The 'sword' fights tend to end up with a grappling match on the ground where one knight finally removes the other's helmet and beheads him with a knife. This is raw and ready stuff, and it will show you to what degree children's books in our culture have led to a popular gross misunderstanding of the original tales.
The author, Malory, whoever exactly he was (and he CERTAINLY was NOT a criminal) must have thought of Arthur as an English hero deserving an English edition recounting his deeds. Researchers say that he stuck to re-telling the plot of the French stories, as if he thought he were getting at the 'truth behind the legend' to tell the 'true' story of Arthur. He seems to have had first hand experience in battle, as the fighting in the book is very realistic and he seems particularly interested in telling us about the thousands of fights in detail. A major part of the story is how Arthur conquers Rome: something that none of us would ever believe was there unless we had seen it written in the book! Merlin, believe it or not, dies (well, not exactly dies, but is out of the story anyways) near the very beginning of the book! Arthur has sex with anyone's wife he wants to! There are so many things in this book that you won't believe could ever have been written in this, THE tome of Chivalry! The Middle Ages is always in style, and it is always incredibly popular. This is the kind of book you can enjoy many times, and it is moreover REAL Medieval fantasy stuff, not the pulp-fiction-fantasy stuff so common at every bookstore. Read this book written by a real knight about 'real' knights! The spirit of the Middle Ages is one we can all enjoy and benefit from in our much more complex modern lives.

Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table (Signet Classics)

Average customer rating:

Free SF Reader
A classic
You need it if you are going to read Vol II
Keith Baines's Modern Version
Just the text, ma'am

Le Morte D'Arthur: King Arthur and the Legends of the Round Table (Signet Classics)
Sir Thomas Malory
Manufacturer: Signet Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Arthurian | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0451528166
Release Date: 2001-10-10

Book Description

From the incredible wizardry of Merlin to the undeniable passion of Sir Launcelot, these tales of Arthur and his knights offer epic adventures with the supernatural-as well as timeless battles with our own humanity.

Download Description

The legends of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table have inspired some of the greatest works of literature--from Cervantes's Don Quixote to Tennyson's Idylls of the King. Although many versions exist, Malory's stands as the classic rendition. Malory wrote the book while in Newgate Prison during the last three years of his life; it was published some fourteen years later, in 1485, by William Caxton. The tales, steeped in the magic of Merlin, the powerful cords of the chivalric code, and the age-old dramas of love and death, resound across the centuries.

Customer Reviews:

Free SF Reader.......2007-09-03

I have to say it took me quite a few sausage roll lunch hours to get through this one as a kid. There is no doubt it is very interesting and important for the whole Arthur thing.

Those interested should definitely check it out from that point of view, even if only having a browse, it is well worth the time to see the origins of a lot of this.

A classic.......2007-08-24

What a delight. I read this book as a child [over 50 years ago] and it was a wonderful trip back in time for me to read it again. I had forgotten how well produced and written it was. This Malory version captures the spirit of the era.

Well worth purchasing.

You need it if you are going to read Vol II.......2007-07-08

I purchased this book because my husband owns vol II and wanted to read vol I first. If you love epics, masonry, legends, and the like this is the book for you.

Keith Baines's Modern Version.......2007-06-29

Aamazon has lumped together reviews of most available versions and editions of Malory's classic, and it isn't always possible to tell just which one a reviewer is talking about. This review applies solely to the Signet Classic modern-English version by Keith Baines.

Sir Thomas Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur" was published in 1485. That was at the very end of the Middle English period. What that means is that the ERnglish that Malory spoke was in many ways closer to Chaucer's than to our own. You can read the original, but you'll need an extensive glossary and a good deal of practice.

Nearly fifty years ago Keith Baines took the somewhat daring step of presenting Malory's proto-novel in Modern English. Baines called his work a "rendition" rather than a "translation" because he has cut out a fair amount of repetition and done a good deal of paraphrasing as well. Nevertheless, the resulting edition faithfully sets out all of the substance and most of the detail of the original in straightforward Modern English. There are no archaic "thees" and "thous," for example, yet, fortunately, Baines makes no attempt to "modernize" the level of diction. His prose therefore sounds appropriately sober without being stilted.

I read the Baines version in high school when there was no way I could have handled Malory's original Middle English. I loved it. Scholars are appropriately annoyed that Baines may have condensed a little too much, but if you're curious enough to delve deeper there's always Janet Cowan's Penguin Classic edition, which just modernizes the spelling, and the Norton edition which meticulously reprints the original and includes a number of academic essays to boot.

By the way, Malory's 1485 narrative of the Arthurian legend is quite a bit different in almost every way from T.H. White's deservedly popular and very humorous "Once and Future King." For one thing, Malory wasn't kidding around. His enduring classic of world literature is serious though filled with wonders. If you're mainly interested in the story, the Baines "rendition" is the best version of "Le Morte D'Arthur" available. (But take the fascinating introduction by poet Robert Graves, author of "Goodbye to All That" and "The White Goddess," with several grains of salt.)

Just the text, ma'am.......2007-01-08

This Modern Library edition runs true to form, lacking much in the way of supplemental material or notes but providing a good basic presentation of the text on quality paper in a good binding. An edition to keep on the shelf for occasional reading rather than a student's book. If there's a really good scholarly edition of the "Morte" out there I don't know about it - anyone?

Forging Chivalric Communities in Malory's Le Morte Darthur (Studies in Arthurian and Courtly Cultures)

Average customer rating:

Forging Chivalric Communities in Malory's Le Morte Darthur (Studies in Arthurian and Courtly Cultures)
Kenneth Hodges
Manufacturer: Palgrave Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Medieval | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Literature & Fiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1403967601
Release Date: 2005-05-12

Book Description

Forging Chivalric Communities examines how Malory presents chivalry as a dynamic code shaped by communities large and small for their own purposes, from the national effort of England to free itself of the Roman legacy to Trystram's energy as a champion of Cornwall, to women's efforts to include themselves in the chivalric world. Hodges shows that Malory treats chivalry not as a static institution but rather, as a dynamic, continually evolving ideal. Le Morte D'arthur is structured to trace how communities and individuals adapt or create chivalric codes for their own purposes; in turn, Hodges asserts, codes of chivalry shape groups and their customs.

Average customer rating:

Great reading

Le Morte D'Arthur
Thomas Malory , and Derek Jacobi
Manufacturer: Highbridge Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Literary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Arthurian | Fantasy | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

General | Books on CD | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 156511938X

Book Description

For over 1,000 years, tales of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table have enthralled people, among them Henry VIII and T.E. Lawrence. Proof of the Arthurian legend's timeless appeal is the fact that scarcely a year goes by without a new adaptation. Published in 1485, Sir Thomas Malory's epic poem Le Morte d'Arthur became the standard source for future Arthurian works such as Idylls of the King by Lord Tennyson and T.H. White's The Once and Future King. With its expressive, vigorous dialogue, Le Morte d'Arthur resounds with colloquial liveliness and ceremonious dignity, the style for a 15th-century gentleman. The audio recording grips the listener with the fascinating, fateful story of Arthur's ascension to the throne as a boy, his marriage to Guenevere, the formation of the Round Table Knights, the quest for the Holy Grail, the ill-fated passion between Lancelot and Guenevere, the treachery of Arthur's illegitimate son Mordred, and the ultimate destruction of Arthur's realm. A superb story of adventure, love, honor, and betrayal, Le Morte d'Arthur is filled with dramatic power and deep, tragic irony.

Customer Reviews:

Great reading.......2006-01-06

Derek Jacobi is as great a reader as he is an actor (listen, for example, to his readings of the Odyssey, or The Voyage of the Dawn Treader). One hopes that as age diminishes his acting, he will fill his time with many such readings. His rendition of Malory is perfect, and helps the modern listener to appreciate the gems of language embedded within Malory's not always sensible tales. A neglected classic brought to life.

Average customer rating:

The once and future king...
Truly Legendary
yech

Le Morte D'Arthur
Keith Baines
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Historical | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

The once and future king..........2004-07-08

The earliest Arthurian legends date back as far as the late Roman times in Britain. Controversies abound, but many have settled on a late Roman or Romano-British general named Arturius - however, given the linguistic nature of the name (it is derivative of ruler or leader), it is impossible to know if this was in fact a name or a title, and the legends may be compilations of the acts of many leaders bearing the name. There was also a Welsh leader with the name/title Arddu, `Dark One', who is sometimes conflated into Arthurian legend. Arthur was celebrated in the pre-Norman times for the order and stability he represented; Arthur was celebrated in post-Norman times for his campaigns against Saxons. Arthur continues to be an intriguing character, today reminiscent of ancient mysteries as well as pagan and new age ideas as well.

In any event, Mallory doesn't attach specific dates to his tales. The book actually consists of many tales. The first is entitled `The Tale of King Arthur', which introduces the figures of Merlin, Gawain, Uwayne, Pellinore, Morgan le Fay (the Celtic war goddess Morgana, dressed up as Arthur's sister) and others, and includes the sword-in-the-stone event. While this text has been modernised by Keith Baines, there are certain crucial lines left in Mallory's English, including this most famous one:

Whoso pulleth oute this swerd of this stone and anvyld is rightwys kynge borne of all Brytaygne

Following this tale, Mallory includes many of the famous tales in Arthurian legend as stories more or less complete in themselves, but still linking to the other tales. `The Tale of Sir Lancelot du Lake' is a knight's tale indeed, with no fewer than twenty horseback duels back-to-back. `The Tale of Sir Gareth' is a similar spirited tale, less well known. `The Book of Sir Tristram of Lyoness' makes Tristram and Iseult, famous by other writers as well, into lovers, this time with a more happy ending than usual. The lesser known `Tale of Arthur and Lucius' describes battles and skirmishes with the emperor, but never really captured popular imagination.

Mallory saves the best for last, with three major tales - `The Tale of the Sangreal', the Holy Grail; `The Book of Sir Launcelot and Queen Gwynevere'; and finally, `Le Morte D'Arthur'. The tale of the Holy Grail continues into the present day in various fashions; here is contains strange glosses of the Old and New Testaments, as well as a good number of miracles, as one would expect from the Grail. The last tale, the death of Arthur, is probably the most famous, and the best written.

Even though an English knight, the courtly fashion was after a French design for many centuries after the Norman conquest, and this French influence in notable in the stories, from their titles to their plots and characterisations, including the places Mallory uses.

Keith Baines eliminates a lot of needless dialogue from his rendering here, but keeps the plot lines and sequence of action with integrity from earlier manuscripts and recited tales. His translation compares favourably with others, becoming a fairly standard text for good reason. Robert Graves (of `I Claudius' fame) provides an appreciative introduction to the text. Baines himself was a poet; however, this text, accepted somewhat reluctantly, is probably his best known work.

Arthur lives on into the modern world and beyond. Baines' edition gives it life to carry on.

Truly Legendary.......2002-04-29

Contained within the pages of this book, is the most notorious of all stories to emerge from the depths of the Dark Ages of European history. Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur is quite possibly the greatest work of English literature and the source of the Arthurian legends, as we know them today. This legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table is an exquisite story of adventure, love, honor, and betrayal. Throughout the whole of Malory's story there is the underlying theme that a thing's making is ultimately it's undoing, be it kingdom, man, or quest. Not only is this theme evident in this story but in his own life as well. Le Morte d'Arthur is a truly legendary work of art, given new life in this splendid rendition by Keith Bains.

yech.......2001-12-13

This book was terrible. By far one of the worst books I've ever read. The story is bland and he manages to make even the greatest tales of arthur boring.

Beardsley's Le Morte Darthur: Selected Illustrations (The Dover Art Library)

Average customer rating:

Beardsley's Le Morte Darthur: Selected Illustrations (The Dover Art Library)
Aubrey Beardsley
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Artists, A-Z | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

Art Nouveau | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

All 4-for-3 Deals | 4-for-3 Books Store | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0486417956

Book Description

Beardsley's illustrations for the Dent edition of the great Thomas Malory classic made him famous virtually overnight. This volume contains a rich selection of those splendid drawings, including floral and foliated openings, fauns and satyrs, initials, ornaments, and much more. Characters from Arthurian legend are portrayed in splendid full-page illustrations. 62 black-and-white illustration.

Average customer rating:

Le Morte D'Arthur - Volume I
Thomas Malory
Manufacturer: Hyperion
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Movie Tie-Ins | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Fairy Tales | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

Medieval | Classics | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1401307809

Average customer rating:

Malory's le Morte D'arthur

Manufacturer: Mentor
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000DCNDR2

Le morte d'Arthur, (Everyman's library, Romance. [no. 45, 46])

Average customer rating:

Le morte d'Arthur, (Everyman's library, Romance. [no. 45, 46])
Thomas Malory
Manufacturer: E.P. Dutton & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Beardsleys Illustrations for Le Morte D'Arthur

Average customer rating:

Early Beardsley

Beardsleys Illustrations for Le Morte D'Arthur
Aubrey Vincent Beardsley
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cartooning | Comics & Graphic Novels | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0486223485

Customer Reviews:

Early Beardsley .......2004-11-24

This is a remarkable work. First, it is Beardsley's earliest commission, illustrations for Malory's classic. For that reason alone, it will interest fans of Beardsley's drawings.

Second, and what really fascinates me, is that Beardsley developed his drawing style visibly over the course of the 580+ works in this project. When I look at the drawings for the first few chapters, they seem harsh and angular (p.22 for example). In other samples (e.g. p.18-19), Beardsley uses textures to generate tonal effects. By the end of the book, his drawings are much closer to his more familiar style. The lines are more graceful, and there is less use of the middle tones - broad solid blacks and whites dominate.

This is certainly a book for the Beardsley fan. It is also a distinctive example for anyone unsure of what "an artist's development" refers to.

Just a small warning, though - this contains only fragments of the Malory text, and many of the drawings do not appear with the printing that defined their original context. This is about Beardsley's drawings, not about the book in which they appeared.

//wiredweird

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books