Arthur Rackham |
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| What
artist do you know that has illustrated classics including
'The Wind in the Willows' 'Peter Pan' 'Alice in Wonderland'
'The Sleeping Beauty' 'Cinderella' 'A Midsummer Night's
Dream' and 'Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm'?
Born in London, in 1867, Arthur Rackham's magical illustrations
have attained a classic status, making his books among the
most highly collected of all illustrated stories. Rackham
himself however, has remained a shadowy figure, as elusive
as the fairies and gnomes that inhabit many of his pictures.
Arthur Rackham, photograph taken c.1890's, private collection.
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Son of Alfred and Annie Rackham, Arthur Rackham was born into
a large family. At the age of approximately 18, Rackham followed
his father's example and took work as a clerk. However, his
interest in art was constant. Encouraged by a visit to Australia
to improve his health at the tender age of 16, Rackham had
evidently had ample opportunity to improve his painting skills
and plan for the future. Work was necessary to pay for tuition
and keep, but Rackham pursued his keen interest in art by
attending evening classes at Lambeth School of Art.
< 'A Fairy Song'. Pen & ink watercoulour, 1928-1929. |
'North
Shore, Sydney'. Watercolour, 1884. Private collection. >
In the late 1880's Arthur Rackham career as an artist became
more established when two watercolour illustrations were accepted
for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and later sold. During
this still shadowy period of his career, Rackham began submitting
drawings to some of the illustrated magazines of the period.
Eventually, in 1892, Rackham resigned from his job as a clerk
and joined the staff of the Pall Mall Budget magazine, for
which he had been illustrating for over a year. |
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Rackham's career continued with his work expanding to include
the Westminster Budget and Gazette. By the early 1900's Rackham
had gained the well deserved reputation of an illustrator
who could turn his hand to the widest variety of subjects.
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'Into
the Bottomless Pit He Fell Slap'. Colour process plate, 1907.
From the Ingoldsby Legends. >
Arthur Rackham's career was taking off! In 1898 Rackham was
commissioned to produce 100 black and white illustrations
for the Ingoldsby Legends, and later produced illustrations
for Lamb's Tales in 1899, and Gulliver's Travels in 1900.
In 1903, Rackham married a fellow artist, Edyth Starkie. In
1904 Rackham was again commissioned to illustrate, but this
time in colour. The book was Rip Van Winkle. His next work
was for the book Peter Pan in Kensington Garden, greatly admired
by the author, J.M. Barrie. A dramatic move in 1907 was to
re-illustrate Alice in Wonderland from the original work of
Tenniel.
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A count of Arthur Rackham's total book illustrations
shows he published more than 3,300 individual images and decorations,
a figure that would greatly increase if his magazine and miscellaneous
work was added to it. Rackham's final work, The Wind in the
Willows, was a commission he had always longed for but did
not live to see published. Rackham died in 1939. But, as you
briefly reflect on the career and life of this amazing and
talented artist, surely Arthur Rackham will continue to live
on through his work as one of the world's most eternally popular
artists.
< 'They all crowded round it, panting and asking 'but who
has won?''. Pen and ink watercolour, 1907. Alice in Wonderland. |
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Contributed by Claire Waldron
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