Arthur Rackham (1867 – 1939) is widely regarded as one of the
leading illustrators from the 'Golden Age' of British book illustration which
encompassed the years from 1900 until the start of the First World War.
Arthur Rackham's works have become very popular since his death, both in North
America and Britain. His images have been widely used by the greeting card
industry and many of his books are still in print or have been recently
available in both paperback and hardback editions. His original drawings and
paintings are keenly sought at the major international art auction houses.
This is part 3 of an 8-part post on the works of Arthur Rackham. For full
biographical notes see part 1.
A Midsummer Night's Dream is
a play by William Shakespeare. Believed to have been written between 1590 and
1596, it portrays the events surrounding the marriage of the Duke of Athens,
Theseus, and the Queen of the Amazons, Hippolyta. These include the adventures
of four young Athenian lovers and a group of six amateur actors, who are
controlled and manipulated by the fairies who inhabit the forest in which most
of the play is set. The play, categorised as a Comedy, is one of Shakespeare's
most popular works for the stage and is widely performed across the world.
Originally published in 1907,
some of these illustrations have later dates.
 |
| 1908 Cover of A Midsummer Night's Dream |
 |
| Title page |
 |
| Titania lying asleep |
 |
| Hermia |
 |
Where often you and I upon faint primrose-buds were wont to lie,
emptying our bosoms of their counsel sweet |
 |
| She never had so sweet a changeling |
 |
| The Meeting of Oberon and Titania |
 |
| Fairies away! We shall chide downright, if I longer stay |
 |
| To hear the sea-maid's music |
 |
| Ere the leviathan can swim a league |
 |
| On the ground sleep sound, I'll apply to your eye gentle lover, remedy |
 |
| Come, now a roundel |
 |
| …will sing, that they shall hear I am not afraid |
 |
| Lord, what fools these mortals be |
 |
| … and her fairy sent to bear him to my bower in fairy land |
 |
| And a fairy song |
 |
| Fair Helena |
 |
| Call'd Robin Goodfellow, are not you he that frights the maidens of the villagery |
 |
| …am that merry wanderer of the night |
 |
| O Bottom, thou art changed! |
 |
| What angel wakes me from my flowery bed? |
 |
| …ghosts, ivanciering here and there troop hovie to churchyards |
 |
| O monstrous! O strange we are haunted pray, masters fly, masters! Help! |
 |
| How now, spirit! Whither wander you |
 |
| Never so weary, never so in woe, bedabbled with dew and torn with briars |
 |
| To make my small elves coats |
 |
| Are you sure that we are awake. It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream |
Undine is
a fairy-tale novella; an early German romance, written in 1811 by Friedrich de
la Motte Fouqué in which Undine, a water spirit, marries a knight named
Huldebrand in order to gain a soul.
This
version originally published in 1909.
 |
| 1909 Cover of Undine |
 |
| Title page |
