Forsaken Truth; An illustration to Spenser's 'Faerie Queene'

Details

Walter Crane, R.W.S. (1845-1915)
Forsaken Truth; An illustration to Spenser's 'Faerie Queene'
signed with device (lower left) and inscribed 'Forsaken Truth long seeks her love,/And makes the Lyon mylde;/Marres blind Devotions mart, & fals/In hand of leachour vylde.' (lower centre, within a cartouch)
pencil, pen and black ink heightened with white and with gum arabic, within the artist's pen and ink border, unframed
11 1/8 x 8¾ in. (28.3 x 22.3 cm.)

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The drawing is for the full-page illustration at the opening of Book I, Canto III of the Faerie Queene, edited by T.J. Wise and published by George Allen in nineteen parts between 1894 and 1897. In terms of quantity, the book was Crane's greatest achievement as an illustrator. He designed a cover for the series and at least one full-page illustration, heading and tailpiece for each of the twelve cantos of the six books. However, despite his fondness for Spenser's text, which also inspired a number of his paintings, the illustrations themselves vary in quality. The present example is one of the best.

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