The much-loved tales from 'The Thousand and One Nights' first appeared in English translation in the early nineteenth century. The popularity of these ancient and beguiling tales set against the backdrop of Baghdad, a city of wealth and peace, stoked the widespread enthusiasm for and scholarly interest in eastern arts and culture, which had been a dominant fashion in Europe for almost a century. Four of the most well-known tales, translated by Laurence Housman, are reproduced in this collector's edition: 'Sindbad the Sailor', 'Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp', 'The Story of the Three Calenders' and 'The Sleeper Awakened'. Each is illustrated with exquisite watercolours by the renowned artist Edmund Dulac. The sumptuous illustrations reproduced here capture the beauty and timeless quality of these alluring stories, made at the zenith of early twentieth-century book illustration.

With a palette that ranged from mellow, romantic blues to, later in his career, more vibrant colours, Edmund Dulac was one of the great artists of the Golden Age of Illustration. This retrospective features 110 colour plates of Dulac's finest cover work dating from 1908 to 1928.

These 55 masterworks by one of the most influential -- and most prolific -- illustrators of children's books during the early 20th century include exquisite images for "The Sleeping Beauty," "Cinderella," "The Snow Queen," "The Real Princess," and other beguiling tales. An invaluable treasury for lovers of fine art; a delight for fairy-tale enthusiasts.