The Rime of the Ancient Mariner — Harry Clarke

This was Harry Clarke’s first major commission. The young Dublin artist was hired by London publisher Harrap to illustrate Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s The Rime of the Ancient Mariner — but most of the work was destroyed in the Easter Rising of 1916. What survived is rare.
This plate captures the pivotal moment: the Mariner’s crossbow has killed the albatross, and the souls of the dead crew pass him by. Clarke’s dense linework, ornamental costuming, and dramatic fields of black are unmistakable — the style that would go on to make him the finest book illustrator Ireland has ever produced.
Printed on 250gsm acid-free archival matte paper. FSC-certified. Ships worldwide.