Maxwell Armfield’s Faery Tales
Apr 17, 2012
A selection of colour plates from Faery Tales from Hans Christian Andersen (1910) illustrated by British artist Maxwell Armfield. I hadn’t seen this collection before which turned up whilst searching for Tinderbox illustrations. Armfield does illustrate that particular story (here titled The Tinder Box—the title varies) but we don’t get to see the monstrous hounds. I was especially struck by the picture of Mount Vesuvius from What the Moon Saw which looks more like something by Hokusai than the usual fairy tale painting of the period.
Elsewhere on { feuilleton }
• The illustrators archive
Previously on { feuilleton }
• The Tinderbox
• The art of Maxwell Armfield, 1881–1972
9 comments or trackbacks
#1 posted by Gabriel McCann
Apr 17th, 2012
Vesuvius also reminds me of an illustration of Mount Doom from
Lord of the Rings (book not film) Can’t seem to find it online thouhg. :-(
#2 posted by John
Apr 17th, 2012
That doesn’t remind me of anything but there’s so many LotR illustrations now it’s difficult searching for anything unless you have an artist’s name.
#3 posted by Gabriel McCann
Apr 17th, 2012
I think it was from the back cover of this edition
http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/details.php?reference=45100
which doesn’t really look all that much like Vesuvius. Bad memory on my part sorry.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5286/5360748554_ba652182c0_z.jpg
#4 posted by Gabriel McCann
Apr 17th, 2012
Here’s a much nicer edition using the same artwork. Not sure who the artist is though.
http://www.tolkienbookshelf.com/?page=shop/flypage&product_id=353&CLSN_3512=133464298435124d827ff67d6205faf6
#5 posted by Gabriel McCann
Apr 17th, 2012
Sorry didn’t read the fine print. It was Pauline Baynes. Think you commented about her in a post some time ago.
#6 posted by Gabriel McCann
Apr 17th, 2012
…and no they aren’t that similar really http://www.tolkienbooks.net/images/main/rk/sc-artwork.jpg
http://www.tolkienbooks.net/php/1st-deluxe-lr.php
Think it was the style of lettering underneath that reminded me of Tolkien’s Hobbit illustrations
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/oct/24/tolkien-hobbit-drawings-published
#7 posted by John
Apr 17th, 2012
Yes, her illustrations are very familiar. That set used to appear on the single-volume paperback edition until Alan Lee and others began to take over. Her Mount Doom is also here.
#8 posted by John
Apr 17th, 2012
Armfield’s lettering resembles the medieval uncial style which is a regular feature of fantasy illustration. The round “e” is used on some of the LotR maps.