Art, Symbol & Imagination
Faust and His Dark Companion: Harry Clarke’s Plate
A young man looks outward while a taller pointed-eared companion stands behind him. Intricate patterned garments emerge from a solid black field. The faces and hands remain pale against an extraordinary density of dots, spirals and folds. The tall companion’s narrow smile makes the relationship uneasy before either figure acts. As a preliminary plate in this edition, the design introduces the human and demonic pairing that drives the drama. Its asymmetric background gives the younger figure an opening while the other belongs to the encircling dark.
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Citation
Harry Clarke. "Faust and His Dark Companion: Harry Clarke’s Plate" [editorial title]. In Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; translated by Bayard Taylor; illustrations by Harry Clarke. Undated Arden Book Company edition; Faust Part One, Bayard Taylor translation, Harry Clarke illustrations, undated edition, Arden Book Company. Source scan leaf 8. Lumitheca. /gallery/image/faust-clarke-7
Source details
Editorial title and description. Source details from the Library catalogue.
Complete source design inspected individually. Editorial title; surrounding paper and unrelated text cropped away, integrated ornament retained. No tonal alteration.
Sources
From the book
FaustJohann Wolfgang von Goethe; translated by Bayard Taylor; illustrations by Harry ClarkeUndated editionMore from this book
The Haloed Mother and the Candle: Clarke’s Faust
The Giant Figure and the Candle: Clarke’s Faust
Four Grotesque Dancers: Harry Clarke’s Faust OrnamentRelated illustrations
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Harry Clarke. Faust and His Dark Companion: Harry Clarke’s Plate. Faust. Scan leaf 8. Lumitheca. https://lumitheca.com/gallery/image/faust-clarke-7