COVE

Illustrated by Sidney Sime, “The Inartistic,” first published in The Idler in 1899, captures the eerie, dream-like quality of L. Godfrey-Turner’s poem, “The Inartistic Tomb.” A man in white robes is surrounded by grotesque, “ghoul-like” (Turner 182) neighbours at his funeral, their elongated heads and unsettling expressions amplifying the uncanny atmosphere. Sime’s depiction transforms the poem’s commentary on death’s material spectacle into a haunting scene of supernatural unease, using his signature “misty” (J.B. 10) technique to amplify the strange supernatural.  The contrast between the subject’s sombre expression and the mocking, devilish figures highlights the concept of “a man in a world of devils” (J.B. 10), ironically “alienating” the human surrounded by demon-like people at his own funeral––themes Sime was fond of, adding to “Holy Terror” and a fear of twisted familiarity.

Works Cited

Godfrey-Turner, L. “The Inartistic Tomb.” The Idler, Feb.1899-July 1901, 16, pp. 182-187. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fhistorical-periodicals%2Finartistic-tomb%2Fdocview%2F3346104%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D9838

J, B. "MR. SIDNEY SIME'S ART." The Manchester Guardian (1901-1959), Jun 07, 1924, pp. 10. ProQuest, https://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.co....

Sime, Sidney H. “The Inartistic.” “The Inartistic Tomb” by L. Godfrey-Turner, The Idler, Feb.1899-July 1901, 16, pp. 183. Retrieved from https://ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fhistorical-periodicals%2Finartistic-tomb%2Fdocview%2F3346104%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D9838