Edmund Dulac, 1882-1953 was a French book illustrator prominent in the early part of the 20th Century, during the so-called "Golden Age of Illustration." I find his work fabulous and evocative. We must have had a book illustrated by Dulac when I was a child, but I can't remember. I have a huge affinity for Chinese lanterns. I think Edmund Dulac and Rupert Bear are jointly responsible for that.
He began his career studying law at the University of Toulouse, but switched full-time to art. He moved to London in 1904, becoming a citizen in 1912. At the age of 22 Dulac began illustrating for Dent and then Hodder & Stoughton. The Leicester Gallery would commission paintings from Dulac and sell the rights to Hodder & Stoughton. The publisher would publish one book a year and the Leicester Gallery would sell Dulac's paintings.
Many books were published under this collaboration: The Arabian Nights, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam, Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales and Hans Christian Andersen to name a few.
His illustration for the Emperor's New Clothes reminded me of our view from our balcony in Regensburg. It doesn't really look that close, but I've included it anyway.But if I were to crane my neck, buildings just like the one's Dulac depicted were everywhere. Just like the hotel we were staying in. That's our balcony above the first white umbrella in the picture below.
Now that was a great hotel.
2 comments:
These are great illustrations! I love Dulac's style and use of color. I'm going to scout out some of his books to add to my collection.
Children's illustrators have a special magic to their work. He is no exception. I love Rackham, Tenniell, Shepherd.
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