Troy – Humbert Wolfe (1928, illustrated by Charles Ricketts)
This rare poetic retelling of the Trojan War by British poet Humbert Wolfe (1885–1940) is elevated by Charles Ricketts’ (1866–1931) sumptuous Art Deco illustrations. Limited to 500 copies, signed by the author. A contemporary of Yeats and Eliot, Wolfe reimagines Homer’s epic through lyrical, modernist verse, while Ricketts—a key figure in the Aesthetic Movement—renders Helen, Achilles, and Hector in stark, stylized engravings that echo Greek vase paintings and Byzantine mosaics.
For Fans of Mythic Modernism:
- The Odyssey – Homer (1932, illus. John Flaxman) – Neoclassical line art inspiration for Ricketts.
- Helen in Egypt – H.D. (1961) – Another feminist, fragmented Troy.
- The Trojan War – Olivia Coolidge (1952) – Mid-century YA retelling with bold art.
