The Women of Edmund Dulac
In 1923, “Edmund Dulac, the Distinguished English Artist,” as he was billed on the front covers, was contracted by the Hearst organization to paint watercolors for The American Weekly. The contract lasted nearly 30 years. From the 1920’s onward, Dulac’s income came primarily from his American Weekly work. Dulac painted 106 watercolors from 1924-1951 for thirteen different series for The American Weekly, until his final ‘Tales from the Arabian Nights’ in 1951.
The three series featured here are “Famous Vamps of History” from 1929, “Follies That Destroyed Famous Queens” from 1934 and “Fighting Women” from 1938. The Vamps series was the first to print clearly, as the Hearst Corporation changed to a better-quality newsprint and reduced the size of the tabloid. This allowed Dulac to paint the image larger, so that by reducing, it gained sharpness. Queens was an overlapping theme, and Semiramis starred in both. Fighting Women was more of an action animated series, with several women in battle, mostly against men foes. Sadly, few triumphed in the end.
What readers are saying about The Women of Edmund Dulac:
Immersing in high quality, richly colored, fantastical illustrations is a wonderful way to escape everyday life for a short time. I love studying the smallest of details; the tapestry and clothing patterns, delicate fingers and toes, jewelry I wish I owned. I especially enjoy interpreting the emotions expressed on the character’s faces. I’m a big fan of ‘Dulac eyes’. For example, Thomyris’s expression as she gazes on the severed head of Cyrus. And can you imagine how Septima Zenobia, the Queen of Palmyra, is feeling as she realizes she’s about to be captured and tortured? In the same scene, you can see the shock and fear in her son’s expression. Every character that flows from Edmund Dulac’s brush tells a story through body language and facial expressions. No two are alike, and their emotions run the gamut. It’s fascinating and compelling stuff. (And I can’t wait for you to see Molly Pitcher!) — A License to Quill