Aesop's Fables: A Classic Illustrated Edition (Classic Illustrated)

by Aesop

Amazon Price: $13.57 (as of 07/26/2008)

No other collection of fables so clearly demonstrates the range of artists who have illustrated Aesop than this one. More than 50 fables are each accompanied by at least one illustration from nearly 30 works from Charles Henry Bennett's 1857 version to Edward Bawden's in 1970. The excellent introduction sums up Aesop's importance in literature, and discusses the gradual shift in the intended audience over the years, from adults to children and back to adults. Well-loved fables are included, but many of these will not be as familiar: "The Mountain in Labour," "The Rose and the Butterfly," and "The Ass and His Driver." Crisp, to-the-point tellings never detract from the main focus--the fantastic array of classic illustrations, reproduced from original editions in museums and private collections. There is a wide assortment of illustrational styles, and the list of artists reads like a "Who's Who" of 19th and early 20th century art: Edwin Noble, Arthur Rackham, Alexander Calder, Walter Crane, Randolph Caldecott, Milo Winter, Jack Orr, and Sophia Rosamund Praeger. The collection bears a decidedly British stamp, and young children may not respond to the remote quality of the illustrations. Nevertheless, it's a wonderful opportunity for older children and adults to compare and contrast artists' perspectives. A must for larger folklore collections, as the book will be of special interest to researchers.

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