Thirty-three illustrations bring the legend to life: clashing armies in full battle dress, Arthur and his miraculous sword Excalibur, Lancelot's battle with a fire-breathing dragon and more. Text included.

Thomas Crawford (1813–1857) was the first American sculptor to study in Italy for an extended period of time. There, along with other artists—Greenough, Story, and Powers—he was part of a group that made prolific contributions to American neoclassical art. He is best known as the sculptor of much of the statuary and bas-reliefs of our nationÆs Capitol: the pediment figures over the Senate and of the House of Representatives, and the bronze Freedom atop the CapitolÆs dome. In writing this biography, Robert Gale was given exclusive access to all of CrawfordÆs personal papers by the sculptorÆs granddaughter. An appendix lists extant works of Crawford and where they are found, and several plates illustrate his sculpture.

Recounts Arthur's chief adventures including his becoming King, his marriage to Guinevere, and his benevolent but troubled reign over England.