1904 JOHN BUNYAN. Original Illustrations for Pilgrim's Progress by Pre-Raphaelite Master, Byam Shaw.

An incredible opportunity to own an original watercolor from Pilgrim's Progress by one of the most significant craftsmen from the Golden Age of Illustration.

 

Each of the offered images was created by John Byam Liston Shaw (1872–1919) to illustrate John Bunyan's immortal tale for a fine edition of the work to be published by Jack in Edinburgh and Caxton. The object of the original publication was ambitious. With the arrival and popularization of the photograph, artistic movements had been forced to become something more than representational; and they had. A range of new artistic expressions and styles in the late 19th century provided creative languages for illustrators to engage in work that was more symbolic, metaphorical, better suited to evoke spiritual and emotional realities. And thiserfectly suited to illustrate a sweeping allegorical narrative like Bunyan. 

Byam Shaw, as he was known, was the perfect choice for the project. A significant representative of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he had been deeply influenced by John Everett Millais and Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Indeed, his painting The Queen of Hearts is considered one of the the true masterpieces of the movement. If there had been any doubt, his place in the core Pre-Raphaelite canon was cemented with its over $1,000,000 sale at Christies in 2020. 

It was his allegorical approach to illustrations that so perfectly suited him for the Pilgrim. For over two centuries, Bunyan's text had been illustrated primarily via traditional woodcuts or stark moralistic engravings, such as those by William Blake or David Scott. Rather than rendering Bunyan's characters as plain, austere 17th-century Puritans, Shaw infused them with an intense psychological and symbolic presence. Shaw modernized the visual language of the book for an early 20th-century audience, blending formal clarity with the decorative and symbolic language of the new art movements. 

His suite is a true tour de force, demonstrating the powers of the Pre-Raphaelite's symbolist approach to art when brought into the service of the Christian story. This inimitable suite of illustrations sits comfortably and equitably alongside contemporaries like Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac. Truly breathtaking artifacts reflecting the ongoing significance of John Bunyan's immortal tale from its original authorship in 1678 through to the early 20th century. 

Each image is neatly presented on an archival mount, ready to frame,  measuring approximately 14.25 x 16.5 inches. The works themselves measure approximately 7 x 9 inches each. The images are visually pristine. 

Each example is $3,500. The two exceptions are the dustjacket and frontis designs, which are $4,500.

Available designs are correlated by number to the images on this listing. 

1. Dustjacket Design for Pilgrim's Progress. [+$1,000]

"Next to the Bible, the book I value most is John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. I believe I have read it through at least a hundred times. It is a volume of which I never seem to tire; and the secret of its freshness is that it is so largely compiled from the Scriptures." Charles H. Spurgeon on Pilgrim's Progress

2. Frontispiece of John Bunyan for Pilgrim's Progress. [+$1,000]

"Why, this man is a living Bible! Prick him anywhere; his blood is Bibline, the very essence of the Bible flows from him. He cannot speak without quoting a text, for his very soul is full of the Word of God." Charles H. Spurgeon on John Bunyan

3. Christian Burdened by the Weight of his Sins for Pilgrim's Progress.

"He looked, and saw him receive a Book, and read therein; and as he read, he wept and trembled; and not being able longer to contain, he broke out with a lamentable cry, saying, 'What shall I do?'"

4. The Fire in the Wall; Or, The Devil and Christ for Pilgrim's Progress.

"This fire is the work of grace that is wrought in the heart; he that casts water upon it, to extinguish and quench it, is the Devil; but in that thou seest the fire notwithstanding burn higher and hotter, thou shalt also see the reason of that." 

5. Christian before Discretion for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then came out of the house a grave and beautiful damzel, named Discretion, and asked why she was called. So Christian told her his story..."

6. Christian Fights with Apollyon for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Apollyon straddled over the whole breadth of the way, and said, 'I am void of fear in this matter, prepare thyself to die; for I swear by my infernal den, that thou shalt go no further; here will I spill thy soul.'"

7. Hell's Mouth for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Also, just in the midst of this Valley, I saw the mouth of Hell to be, and it stood also hard by the way-side... ever and anon the smoke and flame would come out in such abundance, with sparks and hideous noises..."

8. Faithful Helps Christian Up After his Fall for Pilgrim's Progress.

"So Faithful ran on till he came to the top of the hill, where Christian was... but Christian was so intent upon looking behind him, that he stumbled and fell, and could not rise again, until Faithful came up to help him."

9. Faithful Struck Down by Moses for Pilgrim's Progress.

"He came with a word and a blow, for he had no sooner overtaken me, but he knocked me down, and laid me for dead... 'He spared not, neither knew he how to show mercy to those that transgress his Law.'"

10. The Jury for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Their names were, Mr. Blind-man, Mr. No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, Mr. Live-loose, Mr. Heady, Mr. High-mind, Mr. Enmity, Mr. Liar, Mr. Cruelty, Mr. Hate-light, and Mr. Implacable... And they all unanimously concluded to bring him in guilty before the Judge."

11. Demas for Pilgrim's Progress.

"There stood a gentleman called Demas... who called to the Pilgrims, 'Ho, turn aside hither, and I will show you a thing!' ... 'Here is a silver mine, and some digging in it for treasure; if you will come, with a little pains you may richly provide for yourselves.'"

12. Lot's Wife for Pilgrim's Progress.

"They espied, a little out of the highway, an old Monument, standing over against the Hill Lucre... It appeared to them as if it had been the posture of a woman transformed into the shape of a Pillar."

13. Christian and Hopeful in Doubting Castle for Pilgrim's Progress.

"They were kept prisoners from Wednesday morning till Saturday night, without one bit of bread, or drop of drink, or light, or any to ask how they did... Now Giant Despair had a key, but it was to no purpose."

14. Hill Error for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then they led them to the top of a hill called Error... and bid them look down to the bottom; so they looked, and saw at the bottom several men dashed all to pieces with a fall that they had from the top."

15. Christian and Hopeful Leave Atheist Laughing for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then Atheist fell into a very great laughter. ... 'I laugh because I see what ignorant persons you are, to take so tedious a journey, and you are like to have nothing but your travel for your pains.'"

16. Christian and Hopeful Come in Sight of the Celestial City for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Now as they walked in this place, they had more rejoicing than in parts more remote from the Kingdom to which they were bound; and drawing near to the City, they had yet a more perfect view thereof."

17. Hopeful Helps Christian Across the River for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then said Christian, 'I sink in deep waters; the billows go over my head, all his waves go over me.' ... Then said Hopeful, 'Be of good cheer, my brother, I feel the bottom, and it is good.'"

18. The Muck-Raker for Pilgrim's Progress.

"There was a Man that could look no way but downwards, with a Muck-rake in his hand... There stood also One over his head with a Celestial Crown in his Hand, and tendered him that Crown for his Muck-rake; but the man did neither look up, nor regard, but raked to himself the straws, the small sticks, and dust of the floor."

19. Mr. Great-Heart; Or, Greatheart for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then said the Interpreter to Mr. Great-heart his Servant, 'Take thy Sword, and Helmet, and Shield, and take these my daughters, and conduct them to the house called Beautiful.'"

20. Mr. Great-Heart Drives Back the Lion for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then Great-heart drew his sword, with intent to make a way for the Pilgrims in spite of the Lions... The Lion was very angry, and would have torn them to pieces; but Mr. Great-heart struck him so lustily that he forced him to give back."

21. Feeble and Ready-To-Halt Bring Up the Rear for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then Mr. Ready-to-halt said, 'I am a man of a weak mind, and I am going to the Celestial City'... and Mr. Feeble-mind said, 'I am a sickly man, and I am going to the Celestial City too.'"

22. Fool and Want-Wit Washing the Ethiopian for Pilgrim's Progress.

"They saw two men, named Fool and Want-wit, washing of an Ethiopian, with intention to make him white; but the more they washed him, the blacker he was. Then they asked the Shepherds what that should mean..."

23. Mr. Stand Fast for Pilgrim's Progress.

"I have loved to hear my Lord spoken of; and wherever I have seen the print of his shoe in the earth, there I have coveted to set my foot too."

24. The Messenger Comes to Christiana for Pilgrim's Progress. 

"The Messenger presented her with a letter... the contents whereof were: 'Hail, good Woman! I bring thee tidings that the Master calleth for thee, and expecteth that thou shouldest stand in his presence, in clothes of immortality, within these ten days.'"

25. Vanity Fair for Pilgrim's Progress.

"The Ware that is sold at this Fair is All-it-is-vanity... Therefore at this Fair are all such Merchandise sold, as Houses, Lands, Trades, Places, Honours, Preferments, Titles, Countries, Kingdoms, Lusts, Pleasures, and Delights of all sorts... And moreover, at this Fair there is at all times to be seen Jugglings, Cheats, Games, Plays, Fools, Apes, Knaves, and Rogues, and that of every kind."

26. The Gospel Sprinkler for Pilgrim's Progress.

"Then said Interpreter, Come in, I will shew thee that which will be profitable to thee. So he commanded his man to light the Candle, and bid Christian follow him: so he had him into a private room, and bid his man sweep... Then said Interpreter to a Damsel that stood by, Bring hither Water, and sprinkle the Room; the which when she had done, it was swept and cleansed with pleasure... This Parlour is the heart of a man that was never sanctified by the sweet Grace of the Gospel... the Law can only discover and forbid Sin, but it has not power to subdue... [while] the Gospel comes with its sweet and precious influences... so is sin vanquished and subdued, and the soul made clean through the faith of it."

27. The Monster from the Woods, Governed by a Woman for Pilgrim's Progress. 

"Now when they were passed by this place... They were told of a Monster, which... came out of the Woods... Now the Monster was of nature to pull down the houses of Men, and to carry away the Children of Men with it... So they [Great-heart and company] made approach towards the place where the Monster was, and... they saw it... it was of shape unlike to any other Creature upon the Earth: For it had a Woman for its governour... Now this Woman had on her a Scarlet Robe, and a Golden Cup was in her hand, and upon her Head was a Name writ, 'Mystery.' She also is said to sit upon a Scarlet coloured Beast, full of Names of Blasphemy, having seven heads, and ten horns... and she is drunken with the blood of the Saints."

28. They Would Take Him to the Armoury Before He Left Them for Pilgrim's Progress.

"The next day they took him and had him into the Armoury, where they showed him all manner of Furniture, which their Lord had provided for Pilgrims, as Sword, Shield, Helmet, Breastplate, All-prayer, and Shoes that would not wear out. And there was here enough of this to harness out as many men for the service of their Lord, as there be stars in the Haven for multitude."

29. Christiana's Dream for Pilgrim's Progress. 

"In this Town there were two or three that had some inkling of Christiana's going away... That night Christiana had a dream; and behold, she saw as if a Broad Parchment was opened before her, in which were recorded all her ways; and the crimes, as she thought, look'd very black upon her. Then she cried out aloud in her sleep, Lord, have Mercy upon me a Sinner!"

30. Mr. Brisk and Mercy for Pilgrim's Progress. 

"Now, Mercy was of a fair countenance, and therefore the more alluring. Her name was Mercy, and she was always doing good; either making Hose or Garments for the Poor, or such like employment... So Mr. Brisk came to see her, and that often, and offered his love unto her... But when he heard her talk of her garments, and how she gave them away to the needy, he countenanced her no longer, but left her. And when he was gone, Mercy said: 'I might have had Husbands galore... but they were all of Mr. Brisk's mind; they loved my person, but they cared not for my conditions.'"