Fighting Women, American Weekly Cover Art, Queen Thomysis Beheading

Heads Up, Edmund Dulac depicts a strong and confident woman in art in the 1930s. The work shows Queen Thomysis witnessing a beheading. This complex figurative work was an original design by Dulac for the series of American Weekly covers, 'Fighting Women". What distinguishes Dulac as one of the great illustrators of all time is that he is as much a great graphic designer as a realist narrative artist. His attention to detail and harmonious interaction of shapes and forms elevate this work to fine-art status.
Description
Dulac (Edmund) Queen Thomysis, an original design for the series of American Weekly covers 'Fighting Women', Thomysis, Queen of the Massagae, is depicted here triumphantly over the head of Cyrus the Persian whose invading army she had defeated, watercolor and gouache, signed lower right, 332 x 307 mm (13 1/8 x 12 in), under glass, framed, 1938. Frame size 21 x 19.25

Provenance:
From the collection of the late Colin White

Exhibition:
Sheffield City Art Galleries, November 1982- May 1983, item no. 38: label to verso

Literature:
Reproduced American Weekly, 19th June 1938, cover artwork; Colin White, Edmund Dulac, 1976, p.175.