No real introduction this week. I was asked to review a book by Albert Seligman, and though I rarely do nonfiction, this one was hard to ignore.
Yet, this piece is much more than that. After reading the editorial notes at the beginning, and end, I am equally convinced of editor Albert Seligman’s passion for Edmund Dulac’s art and his erudition on the subject matter. A lot of effort was made to restore the art herein, and to present it in a pleasing manner. It was, by my estimate, successful. The formatting is top notch, easy to read, and the editorials make it all that more easily accessible for laymen such as I. The artwork is fresh, and really pops in this edition.
As for the original work, I found the original publication fascinating in a sense of being “a moment in time,” and for the ease of its commentary. Thus I find it interesting not just on the basis of its analysis of Canterbury Tales, but also for an insight into a sort of Academic mind of the last century. Specifically, from references to Freudian theory to quotations from 1908 play by Belgian playwright and poet Maurice Maeterlinck – something which I have no prior knowledge of, but what makes me think it was much more prevalent then.
In short, this is a wonderful collection, artfully edited by Seligman, and something worthy of preservation. I am sure readers will find this both (by the original works) a great introduction to Chaucer, and a wonderful feast for the eyes in regards to the artwork.
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