Welcome back Witchy Wednesdays, Arthur Rackham's folk characters part one..
The artwork of Arthur Rackham part one.
Arthur Rackham is one of my favourites artists. I thought my first encounter with his work was a very old dusty copy of Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol which was beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackham which I found on a visit many years ago at York Library. But over the years I released his imagery has both influenced and enchanted me since I was a small child having seen his illustrations, but not realising the significance of his work, in old books of Peter Pan, Cinderella and Alice in Wonderland. Something I had and still have a great love of.
A bit of History on Arthur.
Born in London in 1867 Arthur became an English book illustrator during the golden age of British book illustrations. Especially known for his beautifully detailed ink drawings combined with watercolours he created a magical artwork depicting fairies, Witches, and illustrations of some of the best known characters in literature.
He lived all his life modestly in the suburbs of London with his wife and fellow artist Edyth Starkie and their daughter Barbara. When not tirelessly creating in his home studio, he enjoyed relaxing countryside walks observing nature’s eccentric personalities. Rackham battled cancer in his final years but continued working and left behind a rich legacy until his death at age 71 in 1939.
Influences and Inspirations from Arthur Rackham website.
Rackham drew inspiration from fantasy legends, finding particular influence in the fairy paintings of Richard Dadd. Japanese woodblock prints, medieval manuscript margins, gothic styles and Art Nouveau aesthetics also informed his artistic vision. Literature wise, Rackham connected with both children’s stories and dramatic classics spanning myths, fairy tales, nursery rhymes and Shakespeare. He immersed himself in nature as well, carefully studying trees, animals, flowers and more across books and firsthand observation to lend authenticity amidst his flights of fancy.
Please visit https://arthurrackham.com/
The Golden Age!
Arthur Rackham is widely regarded as one of the leading illustrators from the 'Golden Age' of British book illustration which roughly encompassed the years from 1890 until the end of the First World War. During that period, there was a strong market for high quality illustrated books which typically were given as Christmas gifts. Many of Rackham's books were produced in a deluxe limited edition, often vellum bound and usually signed, as well as a smaller, less ornately bound quarto 'trade' edition. This was sometimes followed by a more modestly presented octavo edition in subsequent years for particularly popular books. The onset of the war in 1914 curtailed the market for such quality books, and the public's taste for fantasy and fairies also declined in the 1920s. Thankfully his work is now becoming more appreciated and is influencing a new generation of art and crafters.*
Here is a mini gallery of some of his artwork. All were sourced from the British Library and are domain free.
*Information sourced from Wikipedia, the British library and Arthur Rackham website.
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| The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Translated by Mrs. Edgar Lucas. L.P. Courtesy British Library shelfmark KTC.42.b.10 |
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Some war with vere-mice for their leathern wings.' A scene from 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Title of Work: A Midsummer Night's Dream ... With illustrations by Arthur Rackham.
Shelfmark: Cup.410.bb.55
Author: Shakespeare, William
Artist/creator: Rackham, Arthur
Place and date of production: London : William Heinemann, 1908.
Credit: From the British Library archive
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Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is fairest of us all?' Snow White's evil stepmother gazing into her magic mirror. Title of Work: The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. Illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Translated by Mrs. Edgar Lucas. L.P. Shelfmark: KTC.42.b.10 Author: Grimm, Jacob Ludwig Carl Place and date of production: London : Constable & Co., 1909. Credit: From the British Library archive Thank you for visiting my blog. Please pop by next week for part two of Arthur Rackham illustrations. |
