A double-page spread in Macdougall’s illustrated edition of Keats’s Isabella, or The Pot of Basil, 1898. 10 x 14¼ inches. No pagination. The poem is a lament for dead love, but countermands Isabella’s despair and decline with imagery of natural growth, an emphasis Macdougall promotes to overwhelming effect in his vibrant borders, which animate the page with dynamic movement. The thorn-tendril is one of the key Art Nouveau motifs, found throughout the style, and Macdougall uses this vine-like structure along with flowers that burst their stamens in writhing action.
Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke. You may use this image without prior permission for any scholarly or educational purpose as long as you (1) credit the photographer and (2) link to this URL in a web document or cite it in a print one. [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Bibliography
Keats, John. Isabella, or The Pot of Basil. London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Trübner1898.
Created 14 September 2024