Paradise Lost -- Classic Illustrations by Durer

Author: (English) Milton, compiled by Liu Yijun
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: This book is one of the three major works of the renowned 17th-century English religious poet John Milton, hailed as the greatest epic after the Iliad, Odyssey, and Divine Comedy. The entire work is divided into 12 volumes, drawing its material from the Bible, and is a long narrative poem of over 10,000 lines: Satan transforms into a serpent, tempts Adam and Eve to defy God's will, and ultimately loses God's favor, being banished from Paradise. Paradise Lost, Don Quixote, The Divine Comedy, and the Bible—each syllable of these works resonates profoundly. Their significance cannot be overstated. Perhaps even more remarkable is how these four books, spanning different time periods, have come together—because of dreams. The mysterious encounter of Adam and Eve, Dante's fantastical journey from Hell to Heaven, or even Don Quixote's delusions—all classics have soared with sturdy wings, breaking free from the constraints of reality, flying with pride and madness. In this increasingly results-driven era, we still want to gift readers this splendid sky of dreams, hoping to illuminate the mundane and ordinary aspects of life. If one day we are to lose everything, at least we still have dreams, and we can still fly. Durel's exquisite engravings undoubtedly add much to these books. In fact, this is also his "re-reading" of the classics, though he uses a different language—lines. During printing, we added a touch of gold to the serious black ink, not only to make it resemble a "golden" classic but also to hope that this small innovation brings readers both freshness and joy. It is especially worth mentioning that our art editor insisted on gifting each book's readers with six of his carefully selected engravings. Convenient cutting lines allow you to use these world-famous artworks as bookmarks, greeting cards, or simply as playful keepsakes. The swallows once flying over the halls of the old Wang and Xie families have now entered the ordinary homes of the people. It seems that in our shared understanding of the fate of classics, we are working together in harmony.