The Story of Lalla Rookh and Feramorz

 Moore's oriental romance, Lalla Rookh, is the story of the Mughal emperor Aurungzebe's daughter, who is travelling to Dehli to marry her assigned betrothed Aliris - Crown Prince of the court of Bucharia. She is accompanied on this journey by her father's officious Vice Chamberlain Fadladeen, a retinue of mostly female attendants, plus a mysterious - and also handsome - poet known as Feramorz. Feramorz entertains the group with songs and also with four poetic tales: The Veiled Prophet, Paradise and the Peri, The Fire Worshippers, and The Light of the Harem.

These images depict the story of the budding relationship between Lalla Rookh and her poet, while also displaying the response of a number of European artists to the tale. Directly above is a portrait of Lalla Rookh (drawn by Rensch and engraved by J. Thaeter) from an 1822 German translation published in Zwickau. To the left, we have John Tenniel's drawing of Feramorz singing to Lalla Rookh and her ladies. Richard Westall's drawing of Feramorz with Lalla Rookh and Fadladeen depicts well the prickly character of the last, while also suggesting the strong attraction between the two young people through their fixed gazes on each other.

The landscape drawing by George Dodgson depicts the Vale of Cashmere, where Lalla Rookh and her now beloved poet are enjoying a quiet moment together. Tenniel shows Lalla Rookh's retinue approaching Dehli; he also depicts the scene with a fainting Lalla Rookh. The concerned young man gesturing is Aliris, the very sight of who causes Lalla Rookh to collapse -- for he is none other than her dearly loved Feramorz! The final image in this gallery (also from Zwickau 1822, drawn by Baumann) has a tender Aliris supporting his bride, who he had courted in his disguise as a poet so that he would have the chance to win her heart before they wed. 

The final image is a portrait of Lalla Rookh as drawn by Kenny Jones.