The Legends Of King Arthur In Art

"This ambitious book manages to cover the entire Arthurian tradition in art from the twelfth century through the twentieth, in media ranging from saltcellars to stained glass. Whitaker achieves this remarkable feat by remaining sensitive to the different uses that various localities and periods made of the Arthurian motif - So learned - and so fascinating." SPECULUM This is a study of works of art inspired by legends of King Arthur and his knights and produced over a period of nine centuries in western Europe, and latterly the United States and Canada. It covers illuminated manuscripts, printed books, sculpture, pavements, paintings, drawings, embroideries, tapestries, stained glass, objéts d'art, furniture, clothing, et al.. Muriel Whitaker's specialised knowledge of Arthurian texts from the middle ages to the present offers a rewarding perspective, explaining the social, political, religious and aesthetic conditions which influenced the artistic representations of the Arthurian legends in various historical periods, notably the Gothic middle ages, the Renaissance, the nineteenth century, and the present day. The late MURIEL WHITAKER was former Professor of English at the University of Alberta, Canada.

This comprehensive account of Arthurian in British art in the 19th century offers fresh insights into the significance of the legends.

This collection of 148 color and black-and-white illustrations presents unique interpretations of the enduringly popular Arthurian legends by a variety of artists, including Wyeth, Beardsley, Flint, and Pyle.

The Legend of King Arthur There is a lot that has been said about King Arthur in the Arthurian Legends. Many people have read or heard about him either as a real person or as a legendary figure. King Arthur is still a great mythic figure of English literature. He was a great warrior, ruler and military leader who united Britain in the medieval period. However, it is King Arthur as a legendary figure that has mostly captured the imagination and attention of readers. What cannot be denied is the influence the Legend of King Arthur has on literature, music, art and society. The Legend has been portrayed in movies, novels and art, but the reader will get all that in this book. This is a captivating story about King Arthur, the Sword in the Stone, the Knights of the Round Table, Merlin the wizard and the Quest for the Holy Grail. It is entertaining as well as informational. Arthur wielded a magical sword known as Excalibur which helped him win all the battles. He lived in a glorious kingdom called Camelot. He married the beautiful Queen Guinevere who later fell in love with Sir Lancelot one of the King Arthur's favorite Knights. This led to the King's pursuit of Sir Lancelot during which the his son Mordred took over the throne and married his wife Queen Guinevere. Eventually, the King returned to Camelot when he heard this, and a war broke out which ultimately resulted in his death.

The paintings capture your attention before the text -- the front cover depiction of Arthur as a Celtic sun-king, then the back cover's impressive initialed Excalibur, and then the more than 40 full-color plates inside. The Arthurian legends have inspired countless artists and poets, but this collection is in a class by itself. The longer you spend with each painting, the more you appreciate this original style. It's inspired by medieval stained glass and modern Art Nouveau, along with an intricate composition that draws on Celtic geometric design. Through it all flows a unique awareness of universal mystical and spiritual symbols. Viewers will find a compelling contribution to the spiritual arts tradition, particularly to contemporary New Age interests. Each painting reveals an aspect of a great tale, myth, or legend surrounding Arthur, Guinevere, Merlin, the Knights of the Round Table, and the Quest for the Holy Grail. Among the subjects: The Face of the Goddess Gala; The Grail King; The Face of Merlin; The Lady in the Lake; The Wedding of Arthur and Guinevere; Morgan le Fay; The Bird of Omen; Galahad; The Round Table; The Face of Lancelot; The Golden Bow; The White Castle; The Circle of Creation. The text interprets the paintings with delicate and intimate appreciation of their meaning both as representations of the ancient legends and as contemporary avenues for meditation. The word-and-picture combination provides an in-depth analysis of the spiritual nature of Celtic traditions, and together they show how the Arthurian legends remain one of the classic voyages of discovery, symbolically depicting the human struggle for spiritual evolution through heroic deeds.

Foreword by Neil Gaiman The world’s leading Arthurian authority reimagines one of the most beloved and influential legends—the story of King Arthur and his Knights—for a new century in this gorgeous keepsake edition, illustrated with luminous full-color paintings and drawings by internationally acclaimed Tolkien artist John Howe. The stories of King Arthur and Merlin, Lancelot and Guinevere, Galahad, Gawain, Tristan and the rest of the Knights of the Roundtable, and the search for the Holy Grail have been beloved for centuries and are the inspiration of many modern fantasy novels, films, and shows. These legends began when an obscure Celtic hero named Arthur stepped on to the stage of history sometime in the sixth century, generating a host of oral tales that would be inscribed some 900 years later by Thomas Malory in his classic Morte D’Arthur (The Death of Arthur). The Great Book of King Arthur brings these legends into the modern age, using accessible prose for contemporary readers for the first time. In addition to the stories in Morte D’Arthur, John Matthews includes many tales of Arthur and his knights either unknown to Malory or written in other languages, such as the story of Avenable, the girl brought up as a boy who becomes a famous knight; Morien, whose adventures are as fantastic and exciting as any found in Malory’s work; and a retelling of the life of Round Table favorite Gawain, from his strange birth to his upbringing among the poor to his ascension to the highest position—Emperor of Rome. In addition, there are some of the earliest tales of Arthur, deriving from the tradition of Celtic storytelling. The epic hero is represented in such powerful stories as “The Adventures of Eagle-boy” and “The Coming of Merlin,” which is based on the early medieval text Vita Merlini and tells a completely new version of the great enchanter’s story. The Great Book of King Arthur includes 15 full-color paintings and 25 pencil drawings.

This vivid retelling brings together the best-known stories about Arthur and his court, exploring the relationships between the main characters in the legends. Magnificent illustrations by Pavel Tatarnikov add to the atmosphere of Arthurian England.