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Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham

Arthur Rackham

English, 1867-1939
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Arthur Rackham was an English book illustrator. He is recognised as one of the leading figures during the Golden Age of British book illustration. His work is noted for its robust pen and ink drawings, which were combined with the use of watercolour, a technique he developed due to his background as a journalistic illustrator.

Rackham's 51 colour pieces for the Early American tale became a turning point in the production of books since – through colour-separated printing – it featured the accurate reproduction of colour artwork. Some of his best-known works include the illustrations for Rip Van Winkle, Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm.

Rackham was born at 210 South Lambeth Road, Vauxhall, London as one of 12 children. In 1884, at the age of 17, he was sent on an ocean voyage to Australia to improve his fragile health, accompanied by two aunts. At the age of 18, he worked as a clerk at the Westminster Fire Office and began studying part-time at the Lambeth School of Art.

In 1892, he left his job and started working for the Westminster Budget as a reporter and illustrator. His first book illustrations were published in 1893 in To the Other Side by Thomas Rhodes, but his first serious commission was in 1894 for The Dolly Dialogues, the collected sketches of Anthony Hope, who later went on to write The Prisoner of Zenda. Book illustrating then became Rackham's career for the rest of his life.

By the turn of the century, Rackham had developed a reputation for pen and ink fantasy illustration with richly illustrated gift books such as The Ingoldsby Legends (1898), Gulliver's Travels and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (both 1900). This was developed further through the austere years of the Boer War with regular contributions to children's periodicals such as Little Folks and Cassell's Magazine. In 1901 he moved to Wychcombe Studios near Haverstock Hill, and in 1903 married his neighbour Edyth Starkie. Edith suffered a miscarriage in 1904, but the couple had one daughter, Barbara, in 1908. Although acknowledged as an accomplished black-and-white book illustrator for some years, it was the publication of his full colour plates to Washington Irving's Rip Van Winkle by Heinemann in 1905 that particularly brought him into public attention, his reputation being confirmed the following year with J.M.Barrie's Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, published by Hodder & Stoughton. Income from the books was greatly augmented by annual exhibitions of the artwork at the Leicester Galleries. Rackham won a gold medal at the Milan International Exhibition in 1906 and another one at the Barcelona International Exposition in 1912. His works were included in numerous exhibitions, including one at the Louvre in Paris in 1914.

From 1906 the family lived in Chalcot Gardens, near Haverstock Hill, until moving from London to Houghton, West Sussex in 1920. In 1929 the family settled into a newly built property in Limpsfield, Surrey. Arthur Rackham died in 1939 of cancer at his home.

245 items

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La belle au bois dormant

La belle au bois dormant (1920)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Mother Goose

Mother Goose

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Alice’s adventures in Wonderland

Alice’s adventures in Wonderland (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
A swarm of field-mice gnawed the quivers and bow-strings

A swarm of field-mice gnawed the quivers and bow-strings (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘All through egypt every man burns a lamp’

‘All through egypt every man burns a lamp’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Cambyses and the Arabian king pledged faith with each other

Cambyses and the Arabian king pledged faith with each other (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘Cambyses was greatly delighted at this, but his sister burst into tears’

‘Cambyses was greatly delighted at this, but his sister burst into tears’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘He raised his hammer with a mighty swing’

‘He raised his hammer with a mighty swing’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘Held a cup to catch the venomous drops’

‘Held a cup to catch the venomous drops’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘Hymir rushed forward and cut through the line’

‘Hymir rushed forward and cut through the line’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
I Want None Of Your Leaping And Dancing Now

I Want None Of Your Leaping And Dancing Now (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘Once again the buzzing fly came in at the window’

‘Once again the buzzing fly came in at the window’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘Sigurd pierced him with his sword, and he died’

‘Sigurd pierced him with his sword, and he died’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Special food was prepared for him

Special food was prepared for him (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘Then was the thief’s opportunity’

‘Then was the thief’s opportunity’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
‘There broke forth a wailing and a lamentation’

‘There broke forth a wailing and a lamentation’ (1907)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Twenty-two original drawings by Arthur Rackham – Title Page

Twenty-two original drawings by Arthur Rackham – Title Page (1906-1921)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
The Music of the Stream

The Music of the Stream

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Are you sure that we are awake

Are you sure that we are awake (1908)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Enter certain Reapers, properly habited

Enter certain Reapers, properly habited

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Enter several strange shapes, bringing in a banquet … inviting the King, etc., to eat. [The tempest]

Enter several strange shapes, bringing in a banquet … inviting the King, etc., to eat. [The tempest]

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Imprisoned Ariel

Imprisoned Ariel

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Ingoldsby legends. Merchant of Venice

Ingoldsby legends. Merchant of Venice (1898)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
King Henry IV, pt. 1, act V, scene 1

King Henry IV, pt. 1, act V, scene 1 (1904)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Lament for Imogen

Lament for Imogen (1899)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Petruchio throws the meat about the floor

Petruchio throws the meat about the floor (1899-1909)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Puck – ‘Lord what fools these mortals be’

Puck – ‘Lord what fools these mortals be’ (1908)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
The witch Sycorax

The witch Sycorax

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Through the house give glimmering light

Through the house give glimmering light (1908)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
Peter Pan in faerie orchestra

Peter Pan in faerie orchestra (1906)

Arthur Rackham (English, 1867-1939)
Illustration
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