Blowing Rose - Edmund Dulac

A delicate watercolour illustration by Edmund Dulac, depicting a woman in a rose-filled garden, originally created for the 1909 edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.

This illustration by Edmund Dulac originates from his 1909 edition of The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Dulac, a central figure in the early twentieth-century British illustration scene, produced these plates during a period when the public appetite for exotic, orientalist themes was high. His approach to the text combines a delicate use of watercolour with a precise, calligraphic line, creating a visual narrative that complements the lyrical nature of the poetry.

The composition features a woman leaning over a stone wall, surrounded by climbing roses. Dulac employs a soft, muted palette to suggest the atmosphere of a Persian garden. The architectural elements in the background, including a domed structure and slender cypress trees, provide a sense of place while maintaining a dreamlike quality. The figure is rendered with careful attention to her attire and jewellery, reflecting the artist's interest in historical costume and decorative detail.

Dulac was known for his ability to integrate figures into their environment, using foliage and architectural motifs to frame the subject. In this work, the roses serve as both a decorative element and a framing device, drawing the eye toward the central figure. The application of paint is controlled, allowing for subtle gradations of colour that define the forms without relying on heavy shading. This print captures the aesthetic sensibilities of the Edwardian era, where the influence of Persian miniature painting was often filtered through a European lens. The work remains a fine example of the high standards of book illustration during this period, where the physical object was treated as a work of art in its own right.