Tales of Mystery and Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe 1923

This is an illustration by Harry Clarke for Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’. Made in black ink, the level of detail is extraordinary. You can tell the artist took so long making it. I wonder if Clarke was interested in stage design. He has arranged these figures in a theatrical manner, presenting a macabre scene. It’s so gothic! This dude is covered in what looks like white bandage tape, yet he still holds a mask out for all to see. I imagine Clarke wanted us to ask ourselves: what is he hiding? The extreme detail is strangely compelling: the black ink swirling to describe texture and shadow. There’s a clock ticking away in the corner, too. It feels like Clarke is reminding us that time is always running out. Like Aubrey Beardsley, he was interested in the grotesque and eerie. What’s great about this image is how it gets under your skin, making you think.