Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe 1923

Harry Clarke’s illustration for Edgar Allan Poe’s "Tales of Mystery and Imagination" is a masterclass in the possibilities of pen and ink, each mark feeling deliberate, and the composition teetering on the edge of being overwhelming. I can see how Clarke lost himself in mark making, drawing us into his world. The contrast between the solid blacks and the intricate filigree is striking, and the radiating lines, like in the halo above the main figure, give the piece a sense of depth and movement. Look closely, and you might see the textures; they're not just visual, but almost tactile. Clarke's contemporary was Aubrey Beardsley, another black and white virtuoso, and like Beardsley, Clarke lets the possibilities of the medium drive the image-making, resulting in a composition which is both deeply unsettling and incredibly beautiful. Art is all about such paradoxes, isn't it?