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Sebastian Hau

Alfred Tennyson, Alberto Sangorski
Morte d'Arthur: a poem
Chatto & Windus, London, 1912

King Arthur stands as one of the most enduring symbols of mythic kingship, chivalry, and the tragic rise and fall of idealism in Western literature. Rooted in medieval legend and expanded through centuries of retelling, his story forms the heart of the Arthurian cycle—an epic tapestry of knights, magic, betrayal, and doomed quests. At its core lies the figure of Merlin, the enigmatic wizard whose prophecies and interventions shape Arthur's destiny from birth to death. Central to the legend is the Round Table, a revolutionary symbol of unity and equality among knights, where none sat above another. This idea of a circle—a seat of justice, mutual respect, and honor—elevated Arthur’s court into a utopia of sorts, albeit a fragile one. The legends have long held a mirror to human virtue and failure, inspiring countless adaptations, from Malory’s 15th century Le Morte d’Arthur to modern novels, films, and operas. Arthur’s tale is not just one of battles and betrayals, but of striving toward an ideal world always just out of reach.

Tennyson’s Morte d’Arthur forms a key part of his Idylls of the King, a Victorian reimagining of the Arthurian legend infused with melancholy, symbolism, and moral weight. Written in 1833 but published in its full poetic form in the 1850s, the Morte d’Arthur centers on the twilight of Arthur’s reign, casting the king as a Christ-like figure betrayed by those closest to him. The poem opens with a wounded Arthur, abandoned on a battlefield after the final clash with Mordred, awaiting passage to Avalon. Tennyson evokes the decay of noble ideals in the face of personal weakness and political corruption, speaking not just to medieval romance but to the anxieties of his own time. His Arthur is introspective, burdened by the failure of his vision, yet still hopeful that “more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” The poem’s solemn cadence and elegiac imagery mark it as one of the most poignant Victorian meditations on loss and spiritual perseverance.

The Sangorski-illustrated edition of Morte d’Arthur brings this vision vividly to life. Rich with medievalist flair, the illustrations shimmer with gold leaf, intricate borders, and jewel-toned watercolors that seem to emerge from a dream. Each image  is a meticulous blend of Pre-Raphaelite romanticism and illuminated manuscript tradition, capturing the sorrow, grandeur, and transcendence of Tennyson’s verse. Knights are draped in ornate armor, holy relics glimmer with mysticism, and Avalon appears as an ethereal realm of quiet light. Sangorski's art does not merely decorate the text; it enhances its emotional depth and mythic scale. George Sangorski, born in London in 1875, was a celebrated bookbinder and illustrator, known for his collaboration with Francis Sangorski and binding partner Sutcliffe. His life was tragically cut short in 1912, shortly before the sinking of the Titanic, aboard which one of his most famous jewel-encrusted books was destined to travel. His work remains among the finest in the tradition of luxurious literary illustration.


24 pages : color illustrations ; 27 cm ; 4to
First edition.

Binding is sound, covers slightly soiled. Pages are clean and crisp, with only light foxing to the endpapers. Albeit worn and partly torn, the scarce dust jacket is present. The illuminated miniatures remain splendid: vibrant, unfaded, and delicately detailed, 


PS: I'll ship the book carefully packaged in bubble wrap, via An Post, the Irish Postal Service ("Registered Post, Tracking & Insurance included to protect your valuable items"). I will provide the tracking number once dispatched.

Literature, Poetry - Quantity: 1 - Hand coloured illustrations - Book

Tennyson / Sangorski - Morte d'Arthur - 1912

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