Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe 1923

Harry Clarke's ink drawing for Edgar Allan Poe's 'Tales of Mystery and Imagination' is a real masterclass in mark-making, isn't it? Just look at the detail. The whole thing’s built from tiny, obsessive lines and stipples. It’s a process of accumulation, a kind of visual layering that builds up the atmosphere of dread and confinement. Those lines almost feel like the obsessive thoughts that trap you in a bad dream. The guy in chains, and that silent figure perched on the wall above - they're both trapped. What really grabs me is the contrast between the frenetic, almost frantic energy of those marks, and the still, silent scene they depict. It’s like Clarke is showing us the internal chaos and the external appearance at the same time. It reminds me a little of Alfred Kubin’s nightmarish visions. Ultimately, you realize it’s all about ambiguity, and the power of suggestion, isn’t it?