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On the left, we show a rare copy of the Queen of Roumania's The Dreamer of Dreams produced by Hodder & Stoughton (London) in 1915.
This copy shows the original decoratively blue- and gilt-stamped grey cloth cover.
To the right, we show the decorative Title Page prepared by Dulac. |
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The Dreamer of Dreams is a wonderful work of fantasy composed by Marie Alexandra Victoria (formerly Princess Marie of
Edinburgh), the then-Queen of Roumania.
It tells the tale of wanderings of Eric Gundian - an artist to the Court of the great Northern King, Wanda - after he has been
enchanted by a dream. The onset of Eric's enchantment is described thus:
The sound of his voice was like spring birds singing of love in green-clad forests, and
when the sun shone on his head it was like the haze of a summer's evening over a
ripe cornfield. In his eyes slumbered the beautiful peace of mountain lakes, and in his
heart there lived the simple trust of a pure soul ... and now Eric Gundian, Eric of the
golden locks, Eric the fairy-fingered, Eric the sweet-voiced had lost his wits!
One morning he awoke, and no one could understand the meaning of his talk; he
declared he had had a dream, and in his dream he had seen two eyes, the eyes he
needed for the completing of his picture; and without these eyes he never again could
touch either colour or brush. King Wanda had called for him to be brought before
his presence, but Eric had sullenly refused to answer his command.
At first King Wanda had been furiously angry, but then he remembered Eric's
wonderful art, and had deigned to go out to where his favourite sat on the cool
marble steps, that led down to the lake, before the King's white palace of beauty.
Eric had risen before the crowned figure that bent towards him a stern face of
inquiry, but to all the King's questions, to hall his persuasions, flatteries, threats, and
entreaties Eric had replied with a sad gesture of resignation, that never again could he
take up his brush till he had found those eyes which had haunted his dream. His pain
and his despair were so evident, that King Wanda felt that no words had force to
move the distracted young man. Sadly he departed, and mounted one by one the
shallow marble steps which reflected in glowing colours the costly clothes that he
wore. Once more he turned and looked down upon his favourite, who sat, his head
in his hands, gazing across the sparkling lake; he heaved a deep sigh and felt like
quarrelling with Fate who had despoiled him of one of his great joys.
Through the course of his wanderings, Eric finds his enchantress - Stella - only to lose her in the moment of their first
passionate embrace. Heartbroken, but still enchanted, Eric returns to the Court of King Wanda to finalise his
masterpiece with his own final breath. Miracles follow and Stella's final resting place becomes venerated as Holy Ground.
Dulac's illustrations for The Dreamer of Dreams are a superb accompaniment to the spiritual fantasy explored throughout
this wonderful story.
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