Elves and Fairies, illustration for The Tempest 

Curator: This fantastical watercolour illustration by Edmund Dulac is titled *Elves and Fairies*, created as part of his illustrations for Shakespeare's *The Tempest*. Editor: Oh, my, what a dreamlike world. The whole piece glows with this hazy, otherworldly light. It’s almost melancholic, isn't it? Despite the fairies flitting about, there’s a certain sadness to the blue. Curator: It’s interesting you pick up on that melancholy. Dulac situated himself within the Arts and Crafts Movement, finding ways of re-enchanting the social experience through illustration. There is an inherent darkness and awareness of social displacement in some of these works. Editor: I can see that now. Those figures with bat-like wings almost disturb the more conventional, delicate fairies. And there is definitely something unsettling about the gazes. It begs a queer reading about outsiderness, like they're a band of chosen family in the face of immense social rejection. Curator: Absolutely, Dulac often drew upon folklore and mythology, reflecting both personal and broader social anxieties in times of transition and turbulence in British history. The illustration feels strangely suspended, mirroring perhaps the unease with industrial advancement at the time. The symbolism here hints at things unsaid, the quiet defiance against the ordinary. Editor: And the moon! The full moon seems almost too bright, highlighting the emotional isolation. This goes beyond pretty fairytale art—it feels deeply coded, about seeking connection and the fight to thrive despite oppressive circumstances. This prompts me to read this illustration as a narrative of chosen belonging, using its fantastical context as a site of social protest. Curator: Exactly, we cannot forget how such illustrations also served to create a bridge between personal fantasy and cultural narrative, becoming platforms to address the challenges of the time. Editor: Thanks to its historical context, this isn't merely a fanciful escape, but a call to recognize our societal burdens. It certainly elevates my understanding. Curator: Mine too. Seeing it within your framework provides valuable insight, especially into those elements which echo even today.