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June 8, 2016
Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight by Alsdale
Featured by moonbeam13
Suggested by Agaave
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Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight

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Published:
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Description

Watercolor and white gouache on paper, 12" x 14"
Prints available in the print shop :D

Fair lady Isabel sits in her bower sewing,
      Aye as the gowans grow gay
    There she heard an elf-knight blawing his horn.
      The first morning in May
‘If I had yon horn that I hear blawing,
    And yon elf-knight to sleep in my bosom.’
This maiden had scarcely these words spoken,
    Till in at her window the elf-knight has luppen.
‘It’s a very strange matter, fair maiden,’ said he,
    ‘I canna blaw my horn but ye call on me.
‘But will ye go to yon greenwood side?
    If ye canna gang, I will cause you to ride.’
He leapt on a horse, and she on another,
    And they rode on to the greenwood together.
‘Light down, light down, lady Isabel,’ said he,
    We are come to the place where ye are to die.
‘Hae mercy, hae mercy, kind sir, on me,
    Till ance my dear father and mother I see.’
‘Seven king’s-daughters here hae I slain,
    And ye shall be the eight o them.’
‘O sit down a while, lay your head on my knee,
    That we may hae some rest before that I die.’
She stroakd him sae fast, the nearer he did creep,
    Wi a sma charm she lulld him fast asleep.
Wi his ain sword-belt sae fast as she ban him,
    Wi his ain dag-durk sae sair as she dang him.
‘If seven king’s-daughters here ye hae slain,
    Lye ye here, a husband to them a’.’
~ From the Child Ballads (4A)

This medieval folk ballad has its roots in 13th century Germanic folk tales and may have even earlier roots in Asia, making it one of the most widely disseminated tales to predate modern times.  Popular Scottish and English variants include "False Sir John," "The Outlandish Knight," and "May Colven:"

Sung by Emily Smith (as "May Colven")
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv-wI5YZNfI

Sung by Kadia (as "Lady Isabelle and the Elf Knight")
www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM_F7SnRxeA


I usually try not to bore everyone with an element-by-element breakdown of my paintings, BUT ... this one was a real undertaking, so I'm going to indulge myself this once ...

The diptych emphasizes the turn in the story, the moment when we realize that this girl is no wide-eyed romantic but rather a clever young woman able to hold her own against a powerful foe.  There's some additional feminist symbolism here, including the bed in the mirror and the bollock dagger (a popular style of blade in medieval Scotland).  The symbolism behind the stag and unicorn armor on the horses is pretty obvious ... The embroidery and the parrot in the birdcage were inspired by the ballad; the parrot features prominently in other versions of the tale, and is one of the most unique aspects of this ballad relative to others of its time.  The remaining elements of the painting attempt to capture some of the folklore surrounding Beltane (May Day) and the daoine sìth (the People of the Hills/the fairy folk).  In reference to Beltane, we see the peak where the bonfire might be lit in the evening.  Food has been left out as an offering.  Garlands of yellow flowers (gorse, primrose, marsh marigold) have been hung and candles have been lit to ward off harmful spirits, but they have been snuffed out by the knight's arrival at the window!  Although I didn't do a good job of showing this, our story begins at sunrise (top panel) and ends at twilight (bottom panel), the two times of day when the spirit world is most closely aligned with our own.  The knight's accoutrements are translucent, since the daoine sìth were sometimes said to be made of air.  Lady Isabel wears an "elf-arrow" in her brooch, the charm with which she will lull the knight to sleep.  Viewers familiar with tales of the Scottish borderlands might be amused by Tam Lin's well in the bottom frame. 

I'm sure there are many historical inaccuracies throughout, but it's been a fun learning experience!

-----

On a purely technical note, sometimes I envy minimalists.
Image size
2628x3066px 1.83 MB
© 2016 - 2024 Alsdale
Comments101
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Architect80's avatar

I love the Child Ballad that this work is based on! You really helped be bring it to life. I'm so glad that you kept the illustration Scottish as the ballad is! The look on Isabel's face is perfect for the piece.