Le Morte Darthur

Artist Aubrey Vincent Beardsley (British, 1872 - 1898)

Publisher J. M. Dent, London, 1893 (vol. 1) and 1894 (vol. 2)

Author Sir Thomas Malory (British, 1410?-1471?)

Date1893-1894

MediumOriginal prints: 2 photogravures (frontispieces) Reproductions: line block reproductions of ink drawings (vignettes, headpieces, tailpieces, initials, borders, and full-page) Text: letterpress Paper: cream laid paper

ClassificationBooks

Credit LinePurchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey

Object number

1952.67A-B

Not on View

Label Text2 volumes illustrated with numerous full-page plates, decorations and vignettes on almost every page after drawings; etched frontispiece in each volume. One of the edition of 1800 in original clothe binding (with gilt decoration) The imaginative illustrations the young Beardsley devised for the story of the birth, life, and death of King Arthur and the noble knights of his round table were deemed a great success shortly after the book was published. Beardsley's exotic stylization, as exemplified by the decorations in these volumes, was a crowning achievement of 1890s art nouveau pictorial design.Published Referencescf. Garvey, Eleanor M., The artist & the book, 1860-1960, Boston,1961, no. 16, repr.