Arthur Rackham – Fred Gettings (1975)
This definitive monograph by Fred Gettings explores the life and art of Arthur Rackham (1867–1939), the golden age illustrator whose ethereal, gnarled trees and mischievous fairies defined early 20th-century fantasy. Gettings pairs lush reproductions of Rackham’s iconic works (Peter Pan, Alice in Wonderland, The Ring cycle) with incisive analysis of his techniques—pen-and-ink cross-hatching, delicate watercolor washes, and the eerie “Rackham glow.”
Why It’s Essential:
- Biographical Depth: Traces Rackham’s rise from Punch cartoonist to Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1900) stardom.
- Full-Plate Splendor: Over 100 illustrations, including rare prelim sketches and unpublished pieces.
- Critical Context: Links Rackham’s Edwardian whimsy to Symbolism and Art Nouveau.
For Rackham Devotees & Illustration Fans:
- Arthur Rackham’s Book of Pictures (1913) – His own curated anthology with autobiographical notes.
- The Wind in the Willows (Rackham illus., 1940) – His final, melancholic masterpiece.
- Edmund Dulac’s Fairy-Book (1916) – Rackham’s friendly rival in the “gift book” era.
“Where gnomes lurk in inkblots, and Cinderella’s coach is forever frozen in mid-pumpkin.”
