Albert Letchford (1866–1905) painted the illustrations for Sir Richard Burton’s original translation of The Book Of A Thousand Nights and A Night.
So the Captain set the sack in the boat and paddled till he came unto the palace, where he saw the King seated at the lattice.
Illustration by Albert Letchford
Illustration by Albert Letchford
So Khalifah rose forthright, and casting his net into the Tigris drew up a great cat-fish the bigness of a lamb. … He carried it to the ape.
The old woman set Hasan a couch of alabaster … by the river-side, and he sat down thereon, having first bound his face with a chinkerchief, that discovered naught of him but his eyes. … So the whole army mustered before her and putting off their clothes went down into the stream.
They came to the chief market-place … and found all its shops open … and they beheld the merchants sitting on the shop-boards dead.
Then the Moor took the two caskets and conjured over them both … till the two caskets flew in sunder, the fragments flying about, and there came forth two men, with pinioned hands.
The History of Gharib and his Brother Ajib — They hastened to skin the Infidel and roasted him and brought him to the Ghul, who ate his flesh and crunched his bones.
So he took him up, shrieking for fear, and flew with him to Janshah, who bade the four Marids bind him on the litter and hang him high in the air over his camp, that he might witness the slaughter of his men.
And they saw lying at full length upon the throne our lord Solomon … his right hand was passed over his breast, and on the middle finger was the seal-ring whose lustre outshone that of all other gems in the place. … Then he (Affan) went up to the throne, but as he drew near unto it, lo! a mighty serpent came forth from beneath it and cried out at him with so terrible a cry that the whole place trembled and sparks flew from its mouth.
Sir Richard Burton, by Albert Letchford
The Queen of Serpents — There came up to him a serpent as big as a mule, bearing on its back a tray of gold, wherein lay another serpent which shone like crystal and whose face was as that of a woman and who spake with human speech. Illustration by Albert Letchford
‘Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat — She drugged a cup with Bhang, and he drank it off and fell upon his back. … Ala al-Din went to the King, and finding him lying drugged and helpless, pinioned him fast and manacled and fettered him with chains. … Then he wrote a scroll.’ Illustration by Albert Letchford
“So I mounted on his back, and he flew up with me into the firmament. … But as we flew, behold! one clad in green rainment, with streaming tresses and radiant face, holding in his hand a javelin whence flew sparks of fire, accosted me.” – Illustration by Albert Letchford
“They sat down and she took place on her chair of state, watching them. … Then they fell to eating.” Illustration by Albert Letchford
“I stood behind the door … and ere I knew it a damsel ran up … she had tucked up her trousers to her knees.” Illustration by Albert Letchford
Abriza defeats Sharkan – Illustration by Albert Letchford
So at last we lifted up the door; and, going in, found him dead, twith his flesh torn into strips and bits and his bones broken. Wen we saw him in this condition it was grievous to us.”
One Reply to “Sunday Images: Albert Letchford”
Finally Letchford reaches Naples. Here he dedicates himself to illustrating the “The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night”, 70 tables that in 1897 will enrich the edition published by H. S. Nichols.
Finally Letchford reaches Naples. Here he dedicates himself to illustrating the “The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night”, 70 tables that in 1897 will enrich the edition published by H. S. Nichols.