When Phantasie Takes Flight: the Art & Imagination of Arthur RackhamMain MenuExplore a Guided Tour of the ExhibitExplore the Collection IndependentlyExplore the Collection Through VisualizationsLibraryPress@UF3b1cdf573ac293e8c89509f45d68f8ce07c5832aLibraryPress@UF. Curated by Suzan A. Alteri and John Ingram. Digitized by Rebecca McNulty. Media is in the public domain or used under a claim of fair use except where otherwise noted.
The Wizard
1media/The Wizard_thumb.jpg2021-08-03T13:30:51+00:00Rebecca McNulty65517d188dc9aba7b76d226a2dc4aefe35fae20f13Arthur Rackham, "The Wizard," from Arthur Rackham’s Book of Pictures: William Heinemann, 1913, 7 ¾ in. x 5 ½ in., 39h15248plain2021-12-21T18:47:35+00:00Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s LiteratureRebecca McNulty65517d188dc9aba7b76d226a2dc4aefe35fae20f
Arthur Rackham is one of the most influential illustrators in children’s literature. His works, marked by muted colors, sinuous lines, and long, linear figures, leave readers with a lingering haunted aura. Rackham’s goal in illustration was to bring imagination to life, often creating expressive mannerisms for human and animal characters alike. Many of Rackham’s works contain a suggestion of movement, as if from an imaginary gust of wind as well as tricks of light.
His airborne pieces are often considered his best, such as his illustrations for Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens that play with such movement. Rackham believed illustrations should be separate from the text in order to illustrate an entire scene rather than a mere line of text. On examination of his works, one can see he had a truly innovative style, using pen work for his sketches that served as a foundation for his watercolor work.
