Rackham's Fairy Tale Illustrations in Full Color

by Arthur Rackham, Jeff A. Menges

One of the most renowned and best-loved illustrators of his day, English artist Arthur Rackham (1867–1939) brought countless stories and fairy tales to life though his vivid imagination and eye for telling details. Combining a sensitive use of line and subdued watercolors, he skillfully depicted forests of startling trees with claw-like roots, wholesome fairy maidens, monsters, and demons, and backgrounds filled with obscure figures. His inspired illustrations for the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm (1900) brought him his first great success, with a long and distinguished career to follow.
This collection of 55 full-color plates, reproduced from rare early editions, contains a rich selection of Rackham's best fairy tale a giant terrorizing the inhabitants of an isolated village in English Fairy Tales , a wicked witch greeting two lost children on her doorstep in Hansel and Gretel , a young maiden beset by snarling wolves in Irish Fairy Tales , and many more, including illustrations from Snowdrop and Other Tales , Little Brother and Little Sister , and The Allies' Fairy Book .

Genres: Art, Fantasy, Folklore, Fiction, Fairy Tales, Mythology, Reference

64 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 1979

About the author

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) was a British illustrator and translator of books in the English and Spanish languages.

He was born in London as one of 12 children. 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 quit 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.

In 1903, he married Edyth Starkie, with whom he had one daughter, Barbara, in 1908. 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. Arthur Rackham died 1939 of cancer in his home in Limpsfield, Surrey.

-from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Rebecca]

recording this book even though it doesn’t have words. i have been loving art books lately and i loved examining all of these illustrations. it makes me want to read these fairy tales

[EJ Daniels]

An excellent collection of illustrations by Arthur Rackham, inspired by various Western fairy tales.

[Lyle]

I cant figure out how to get into the book from my phone

[Ingrid]

A nice survey of some of Rackham's fairytale illustrations that enable the reader to appreciate the different techniques and styles he employed over the course of his career. Some of the tales depicted are a bit more obscure and could have benefitted from more descriptive captions.

[Sandy Sexton]

A delightful book to be savored!

[Hasini | bibliosini]

I have always been a fan of Rackham's work, so I grabbed this when I saw it at a secondhand bookstore! I loved leafing through the artwork. It is whimsical and great quality!

[Gretchen]

Love Arthur Rackham...

[Mary Catelli]

A lovely collection of full plate color illustrations. Includes many tales that are not well known -- and not all from the Brothers Grimm, either.

[Wetdryvac Wetdryvac]

Another case of, "I was going to put the collection down, but this book ate me." That's a good thing.

[Nicole]

Beautiful illustrations! Love them!