Vision (from The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam) - Edmund Dulac

An evocative illustration by Edmund Dulac from his 1909 edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, featuring a serene figure and white peacocks.

This illustration by Edmund Dulac, titled Vision, originates from his 1909 commission to illustrate Edward FitzGerald's translation of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Dulac was a central figure in the early twentieth-century movement of gift-book illustration, a period defined by high-quality colour plates produced through advanced printing techniques. His work for this volume is widely considered his most successful contribution to the genre.

The composition depicts a reclining figure in a state of repose, positioned on a terrace overlooking a tranquil sea. Dulac employs a muted palette, favouring soft blues, dusty pinks, and subtle greys to create a dreamlike atmosphere. The presence of two white peacocks on the terrace wall adds a layer of symbolic elegance, a common motif in his work that draws upon Persian and Eastern aesthetic traditions. The architectural elements, including the slender column and the draped fabric, frame the scene, guiding the viewer's eye across the horizontal plane of the reclining figure toward the distant horizon.

Dulac's technique involves precise line work combined with delicate washes of watercolour. He avoids heavy saturation, preferring a balanced approach that allows the paper texture to contribute to the overall effect. The influence of Persian miniature painting is evident in the flattened perspective and the decorative treatment of the textiles. This work demonstrates his ability to translate literary themes into visual narratives that maintain a sense of mystery and calm. The print captures the specific tonal qualities of the original watercolour, preserving the subtle gradients in the sky and the fine details of the peacock plumage. It is a representative example of the decorative style that defined the Edwardian era's approach to literary illustration.