The Illustrations of Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham (September 1867 – September 1939) was an illustrator of English books. He is considered to be one of the leading figures during the Golden Age of British book illustation, a period from the late 1890s until the end of the First World War. During this period, there was a strong market for high quality illustrated books. The onset of the war in 1914 curtailed the market for such quality books, and the public's taste for fantasy and fairies also declined in the 1920s.
Rackham’s illustrations began with pen and ink drawings, harkening back to his days as a journalist illustrator before they were paired with watercolor. His use of watercolor would go on to be a turning point for illustrations in books as it could accurately be reproduced in color compared to previous methods that involved using an engraver to cut lines in wood or metal plates for printing.
The illustrations on display were selected by students in EN 3414: Critical Writing and Research in Literary Studies, and highlight different stories and illustration techniques used by Rackham throughout his career. These materials come from the Rare Book Division of Archives and Special Collections at Mississippi State University and were purchased through the John Block Special Collections Fund. These books include limited and rare editions that are often vellum bound and usually signed. Our collection includes famous titles such as The Tempest by William Shakespeare, Rip Van Winkle by Washington Irving, and The Chimes by Charles Dickens.