At the time of Faust's 1808 publication, Goethe was already famous as one of the most accomplished men of his era. A statesman as well as an artist and the writer of scientific essays, poetry, and criticism, the German author sealed his immortality with this ambitious drama and its embodiment of eighteenth-century humanism. Goethe based his protagonist on figures of history and legend, and of all the many Faustian legends, his remains the best known.
This sumptuous edition features John Anster's excellent translation, acclaimed for its truth to the meter of the original German verse. Nearly 30 illustrations by Harry Clarke, eight of them in full color, enhance the text. Created in the early 1920s, Clarke's images reflect the influences of Art Nouveau and Art Deco, forming a powerful contribution to the supernatural air of Goethe's masterpiece.