46 two page spreads plus the two page spread of the cover which is done on vellum. The watercolors cover the entire surface of each page in the volume. They are fanciful illustrations, based on quotations from the pages illustrated. The quotations are often written in English by the artist. The work is signed on the last page: P. Marcius - Simons Bayreuth 1908.
Note
History: The watercolors are painted onto the surface of the printed edition of Paul Meurice's translation of Midsummer night's dream into French, 1886. The painting, however, was done in 1908. Subject: The subject matter of the paintings is abstractly illustrative, often featuring symbols in passages rather than actions. There are many portrayals of the moon juxtaposed with the sun. The quotation 'That he hath turned heaven into hell' is illustrated. Much of the work portrays elements of the natural and supernatural world. Provenance: The item contains an inscription from the artist to Arthur Meyer and was purchased by the Folgers from Maggs, July 17, 1924.
Historical background
Artist: Marcius-Simons is listed in some sources under the name Simons and is noted as exhibiting in London, Paris, New York and Bayreuth. He was a genre painter who did works based on the Parsifal story and the Ring cycle, this he notes in the paragraph above his signature on this item. Three catalogs of exhibitions of his works are listed in National Union Catalog. Grave's listing of Royal Academy exhibitors gives him a Northampton address in 1891.
Exhibited
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 1992. Fine and Historic Bookbindings (catalog entry 15:10) Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2001. Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2010. Extending the Book.
