Friedrich Schlegel (1772–1829) was a German poet, philosopher and literary critic, one of the leading figures of the so-called Jena Romantics. Lucinde, first published in Berlin in 1799, is not a traditional novel with a clear plot; rather it is a hybrid of letters and prose fragments between the lovers Julius (a stand-in for Schlegel himself) and Lucinde (based on his partner Dorothea Veit, later to become his wife). It combines reflections on love, art, sensuality and individuality, and autobiographical elements, philosophical musings, and expressions of Schlegel’s own romantic ideals, a series of emotional and intellectual vignettes that build a portrait of transcendent love and artistic unity.

Lucinde was one of Philipp’s first book commissions, but already shows his skill in telling stories through finely-detailed and carefully composed illustrations.

The Philipp-illustrated Lucinda was published by Axel Juncker Verlag, Berlin.