Charles Vess actually illustrated Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories back in 2006 after they met and she asked him to. And in 2009 for Vess's Drawing Down the Moon, Clarke wrote the Foreword where she revealed that Vess was a primary inspiration for the gentleman with the thistle-down hair: "For my own Strange-and-Norrell fairy I regularly examined Vess' portrait on the title page to the fairy section of Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic. In fact this picture may well be the reason why the gentleman with the thistle- down hair has thistle-down hair at all. It is an oddly dim picture for Vess, who is usually a master of clarity. It is more like a hallucination than a picture. It seems to show a haughty fairy with a mass of moonshiny, wild hair. It seems to be female-it's wearing nail varnish, but then who knows with fairies? The picture itself is circular, like something seen through a special telescope for seeing fairies, or glimpsed in a dubious mirror. Not exactly an evil mirror. you understand, but definitely a less-than- friendly mirror." So there's actually something a bit like coming full circle for him to end up illustrating the Folio edition.
Darn the BBC. Another gorgeous edition to your collection, looks infinitely easier to read in three volumes than the uber-chonk of the original hardback! Enjoy, buddy 😀
Wow, absolutely gorgeous edition! I remember reading it and having a great time. But I don’t actually remember that much about it. Maybe calls for a reread. And I always pronounced it like the BBC. Probably won’t change now 😅
I got the time but what I lack is the money!😄 Gorgeous edition of a fantastic book.
There is always that to consider, unfortunately!
Charles Vess actually illustrated Clarke's The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories back in 2006 after they met and she asked him to. And in 2009 for Vess's Drawing Down the Moon, Clarke wrote the Foreword where she revealed that Vess was a primary inspiration for the gentleman with the thistle-down hair:
"For my own Strange-and-Norrell fairy I regularly examined Vess' portrait on the title page to the fairy section of Neil Gaiman's The Books of Magic. In fact this picture may well be the reason why the gentleman with the thistle- down hair has thistle-down hair at all. It is an oddly dim picture for Vess, who is usually a master of clarity. It is more like a hallucination than a picture. It seems to show a haughty fairy with a mass of moonshiny, wild hair. It seems to be female-it's wearing nail varnish, but then who knows with fairies? The picture itself is circular, like something seen through a special telescope for seeing fairies, or glimpsed in a dubious mirror. Not exactly an evil mirror. you understand, but definitely a less-than- friendly mirror."
So there's actually something a bit like coming full circle for him to end up illustrating the Folio edition.
That's wild -- thanks for that awesome bit of information!
Darn the BBC. Another gorgeous edition to your collection, looks infinitely easier to read in three volumes than the uber-chonk of the original hardback! Enjoy, buddy 😀
Thanks! Yes, this is one that I really want to read right now. But, alas ...
@@troytradup Make it reading it a reward when you've finished another screenplay... 😉
@@alex_unabridged Well, now you're just being mean. 😛
Wow, absolutely gorgeous edition! I remember reading it and having a great time. But I don’t actually remember that much about it. Maybe calls for a reread. And I always pronounced it like the BBC. Probably won’t change now 😅
Same here. Had a great time reading it, remember very little about it. Definitely primed for a reread. Cheers!
Lovely volumes.
Truly. And this morning the Folio Society just announced their summer collection. Abandon hope all who open their Folio emails.