ILSEE THE FAR PRINCESS A Metaphysical Tale By Alphonse Mucha

As documented in the Century Guild's celebrated hardcover book Le Pater: Alphonse Mucha's Symbolist Masterpiece and the Lineage of Mysticism, Alphonse Mucha was a devout student of the occult and used its symbols and sacred geometries to create his Art Nouveau masterpieces. His art for Ilsée, The Far Princess serves as an example of that mastery in practice, illustrating the narrative by moving beyond the surface to explore the true heart and spirit of the story. It represents an unprecedented convergence of Romantasy, Mysticism, Psychedelic Art, and the artistic secrets of the Occult. The Century Guild presents this first-ever opportunity to experience the tale of Ilsée: The Far Princess as it was always meant to be seen. The artwork images have been reproduced directly from a pristine example of one of the remaining copies of the 252 that were printed in 1897, and the narration and bonus materials are presented with the same level of devotion, scholarship, and craftsmanship that defined their celebrated 2019 volume Le Pater: Alphonse Mucha's Symbolist Masterpiece and the Lineage of Mysticism. The story of Prince Jaufré and his love for the princess of his dreams is the wellspring from which all tales of the genre of courtly love originate. His archetypal legend of chivalry and romance persisted and inspired countless tales for 800 years. As recently as the 19th century, numerous writers and poets sung his praises—yet the 20th century has completely forgotten his name. This volume remedies that, as well as preserving an Art Nouveau masterpiece, a Mystically charged Romantic Fantasy which was previously lost to time. Century Guild is proud to present this complete resurrection of Mucha's metaphysical fable, created from high resolution images of the original edition, and featuring an entirely new text preserving the artist's original inspirations. What's inside:

• A beautifully produced hardcover edition measuring 10" x 11.25" and over 200 pages in length.
• High-resolution reproductions captured directly from the rare original 1897 edition.
• Deluxe full-color presentation throughout.
• A newly written retelling of the foundational romantic fantasy by author and historian Thomas Negovan.
• Materials relating to Sarah Bernhardt's 1895 performances of "The Far Princess," the play that inspired Mucha's tale.
• Historical context exploring both the legend of Ilsée and Mucha’s symbolism.
• An essay and artwork explaining the history of the legend and its persistence in culture.
• Historical materials from the personal collection of original publisher Henri Piazza.
• Never-before-seen Ilsée production materials from the personal collection of Charles Masson (Piazza's collaborator, and later director of the Musée du Luxembourg).
• English translation of La Princesse Lointaine ("The Far Princess") by Edmond Rostand (1895).
• English translation of Ilsée, Princesse de Tripoli ("Ilsée, Princess of Tripoli") by Robert de Flers (1897).