Book Review: Olde England of Edmund Dulac

OLDE ENGLAND OF EDMUND DULAC: THE AMERICAN WEEKLY ILLUSTRATIONS by Albert Seligman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It’s impressive that the illustrations in this collection were preserved by taking photographs of original issues of The American Weekly. The artwork is crisp and clear, the colors range from boldly vibrant to softly subtle. As mentioned in the book’s introduction, “Each edition was usually between twelve and twenty-four pages and was printed on very cheap and fragile newsprint, so not many intact copies survive today.” I shudder to think that for so many years these illustrations existed in such a fragile form. Having digital versions ensures that generations to come will continue to appreciate them.

In February and March of 1940, The American Weekly featured Edmund Dulac’s illustrations for “Seven Tales from King Arthur’s Court”. These make up the first half of this collection.

In “The Tale of Arthur’s Sword ‘Excalibur’””, we see Arthur in a boat, leaning forward to take Excalibur as it rises from the water, thanks to “one of the Ladies of the Lake”. It’s a fitting, familiar story to start our tour of Olde England.

“The Tale of Sir Tristram and the Love Potent” shows Tristram and Isolde embracing while holding a bowl of potion, just prior to her marriage to King Mark of Cornwall. The bright reds and blues of this illustration are so vibrant that they could have been painted just yesterday.

My personal favorite is “The Tale of The Enchantress and the Magic Scabbard.” The colors are muted as Arthur sleeps peacefully. Even in bed, he clings to Excalibur, but clever mischief-maker Morgan Le Fay has managed to slip the scabbard off and is shown sneaking out the door with it.

In “The Tale of Sir Galahad and his Quest for the Sangreal” Sir Galahad slumps limply in the grasp of a religious figure as five angels anxiously reach for him. It’s interesting to me that of all the rousing adventures that could have been chosen from the holy grail legend, Dulac chose this wistful farewell scene.

Sir Lancelot was quite the ladies man. Between his involvement with Queen Guinevere and his troubles with a lovestruck Elaine, the knight certainly had his hands full. In “The Tale of Lancelot and the Four Queens” we see him taking a well-deserved nap… under the watchful eyes of four Queens. Where ever he went, women were sure to turn up.

Ah, Merlin. Once again, there are so many iconic scenes that could have been the subject for Dulac’s illustration. In “The Tale of Merlin and One of the Ladies of the Lake” he chose to place him under a rock, where he’d been trapped by Nimue, another of the Ladies of the Lake. I do love Nimue’s pose and expression, which seem to convey that she has Had Quite Enough Of Him.

“The Tale of How Sir Lancelot Slew Sir Agravaine” depicts Sir Agravain attacking Lancelot while Guinevere looks on. Guinevere’s horror, Lancelot anguish, and Agravain’s determination are perfectly expressed.

The second half of the book is given over to “8 Canterbury Tales”, published in August and September of 1942. If you haven’t read The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, they are available for free at Project Gutenberg (gutenberg.org). Each illustration is accompanied by a summary of the story that inspired it.

“The Student’s Tale of Patient Griselda” is very sad. Griselda looks resigned to her fate, while a half-dozen peasants look on in concern. I notice that everyone seems to have shoes except for barefoot Griselda.

In “The Knight’s Tale of Emily’s Lovers” we have a chaotic scene of a tournament going badly. A horse rears up and Palamon is about to tumble off. The onlookers gasp. I always enjoy studying the expressions Dulac gives his characters and this scene is no exception.

“The Miller’s Tale of the Carpenter’s Wife” is quite saucy. Nicholas and Alisoun wear smug smiles as they tiptoe away from a chaotic situation they’ve caused. I want to scold them, but I can’t help laughing at their antics.

“The Squire’s Tale of Canace and the Talking Falcon” is an achingly beautiful scene, exotic and filled with rich colors.

“The Wife of Bath’s Tale of the Amorous Knight” features rich reds and deep blues. It’s quite beautiful and worthy of one of the better stories, set in King Arthur’s time.

“The Merchant’s Tale of the Doting Husband” is a very silly story, and the illustration captures that. An old man bends down to become a stepstool for a young couple climbing up to tryst in a treetop. You’ll have to read the story to appreciate the weirdness of the situation.

“The Man of Law’s Tale of what Happened to Constance” shows Constance in a boat, about to be banished. And this isn’t the first time it’s happened to her. The expression on her face is a perfect combination of “woe is me” and “Again? Really?”

The final illustration is for “The Second Nun’s Tale of Saint Cecilia”, and features one of the loveliest angels I’ve ever seen. Her wings are exceptional, as are her bare feet. Dulac had a knack for painting feet.

Olde England of Edmund Dulac is a captivating, engrossing collection. If you’re like me, you’ll find yourself returning to it often. Albert Seligman has done an exceptional job of creating this book, which is just one of his many collections of Edmund Dulac’s work. I encourage you to explore more of his publications.

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