Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen
Harrap, 1916.
First edition. 4to. Grey cloth covers with black lettering and decoration. Top edge gilt, the others uncut. Sixteen tipped in colour plates and twenty-four full page black and white plates, plus numerous smaller black and white drawings. A very good copy, spine a little tanned, one or two small marks to boards. Marginal tear to p. 73 repaired.
Clarke's first Gift Book and one of the rarest and most sought after books of this Golden Age period. "A new Irish artist" announced Harrap's large advertisement in the 1919 Bookman, "whose work will certainly command extreme admiration. Mr Clarke brings to Hans Andersen an entirely fresh interpretation and he appeals to the intellectual emotions of art lovers."
Contemporary reviews made comment on the influence of Beardsley upon Clarke's illustration and it is true that the black and white drawings are very reminiscent of the intricacy of Beardsley's work. Clarke, however, has a very distinctive style of his own which is most marked in his colour illustrations, some of which have a delicate colour palette and a distinctly Art Nouveau feel, while others use the deep, bold colours seen in the artist's stained glass designs.
Stock ID: 46982
