The artwork, titled “And when they came to the sword that the hand held, King Arthur took it up,” is created by N.C. Wyeth in the year 1922. This piece falls within the Romanticism movement and belongs to the genre of illustration. It is part of the series for Thomas Malory’s “The Boy’s King Arthur.”
Depicted in the artwork is a significant and evocative scene where King Arthur approaches the legendary sword, Excalibur, which is being offered to him by a mystical hand emerging from the calm waters. The hand and sword form the central focus, while King Arthur stands with regal poise in a richly adorned boat. The atmosphere is serene, suffused with an ethereal light that enhances the mythical and otherworldly quality of the scene. The presence of swans gracefully gliding in the background adds a symbolic layer of purity and majesty to the composition. The reflections in the water and the detailed craftsmanship of the boat amplify the artwork’s romantic and illustrative charm.
