Publisher/Manufacturer: Gwasg Gregynog (Gregynog Press) Series title: The Romance of Parzival and the Holy Grail (plate 8)
1936 Wood engraving in black on white wove paper
299 x 249 mm. Loan: Gregynog, Davies sisters 1989
Proof taken from the original wood block at Gregynog in 1936. From a set of twelve illustrations for Wolfram von Eschenbach's (d. c.1230) narrative poem 'Parzival'. The blocks for the illustrations were engraved by Mrozewski between September 1933 and June 1934 whilst living in Amsterdam. They were never published in his lifetime. In 1990 Gwasg Gregynog published 'The Romance of Parzival and the Holy Grail', designed by David Esslemont and with an introduction by Carl Lofmark. This proof was reproduced - by offset lithography at Westerham Press, Kent - for one of the illustrations. The volume was published in an edition of 210 at £240. Ten of these had a special binding by James Brockman. Eschenbach's poem was the inspiration behind Richard Wagner's 'Parsival'. Another scene to use the symbolic nature of light, this time to indicate the saintliness of Sigune as it shrouds her. The wild deer that graze safely around her also represent peace. These emotions reflect the repentant nature as Sigune withdraws her curse and embraces her devotion to God
Book illustration for the Arthurian legend 'Parzival'; foreground, rocks, grass, plants, two fallow deer and a tree trunk; middleground, the medieval knight Parzival, seated on a rock with a plumed helmet on his lap, discovers his cousin the hermit Sigune, a young woman with long dark hair wearing a simple long white dress; background, tree trunks, woodland with fir trees, ferns, and a thatched hut. Engraved in fine detail in a symbolist / fantasy style with gravers of varied widths
