...Alexandre Dumas's father was the son of a marquis and a black slave from the island of San Domingo. He rose to the rank of general in Napoleon's army. The mother is the daughter of an innkeeper; she fell in love with an ardent mulatto when he was still an ordinary dragoon nicknamed the Black Devil. Their son, with forty francs in his pocket, won at billiards, came to Paris. He became famous as an incredible workaholic and reckless reveler, a conqueror of women's hearts and an unstoppable dreamer. During his long life, Dumas earned millions with his pen - and spent exactly the same amount in his old age. He wrote “The Three Musketeers” and gave the world hope that youth, friendship, courage and noble hearts can overcome any obstacles... In preparing the publication, illustrations by the artist L. Leloy for the novel “The Three Musketeers” by A. Dumas, as well as paintings by artists F. de Champagne, C. de Rouet, E. Lesueur, A. van den Tempel, C. Chastillon, K.E. Makovsky, F. Khalsa, P.P. Rubens, F. Pourbus the Younger, Rembrandt, M. van Mierevelt, S. Bourdon, L. Marchetti, G. Terborch, L. de La Hire, T. de Caislen, C.-J. Versprong, A. van Dijk, J.-L.-E. Meyssonnier, Demachy, P. Franquin II, C. de Neuve, C. Jacan, A. Bossa, C. Maratta, D. Velazquez, A. Mota, S. Vouet, L. Quenen, C. Lefebre, T. de Keyser , K. Johnson.