Tales of King Arthur

Combining literary and artistic brilliance, a sumptuous edition presents a spellbinding mix of Arthurian tales, selected from Sir Thomas Malory’s (d.1471) masterpiece of chivalric romance, ‘Le Morte d’Arthur’, c.1469-70, with beguiling illustrations by pioneering Aesthetic movement artist, Aubrey Beardsley (1872-98). Charting the rise and fall of King Arthur, and tales of his Knights, Malory’s work was published by William Caxton in 1485 and Caxton’s remains the best-known text. Presented in modern English, this edition omits Books IX and XII of the original but features the highly-decorative illustrations, borders and chapter headings created by Beardsley for an edition published 1893-94. Strongly influenced by the work of William Morris (1834-96) at the Kelmscott Press, Beardsley’s stylised pen-and-ink designs reflect the Pre-Raphaelite passion for King Arthur. Combining selections of both works, this edition boasts 13 of the 20 full-page illustrations Beardsley created alongside hundreds of incidental illustrations, all bringing to life the immortal tales of courage, myth, and magic. With a gold foil-stamped cover and gold-ink end papers, this handsome edition of a legendary text will transport your imagination to Camelot.

Hardback with foil-stamped cover
24 x 16cm
479 pages
Illustrated throughout in black-and-white
Reproduces a selection of Aubrey Beardsley’s pen-and-ink drawings