peter pan in kensington gardens arthur rackham

The real turning point came in 1900 however, when Rackham met the portrait painter Edith Starkie. Whilst not the fantastical work of Rackham’s later career, it presages the exuberant frivolity which was to become a significant element of his work. The first book illustrated specifically on commission was The Zankiwank and the Bletherwitch (1896), which marked the flowering of Rackham’s lighter side. These publications marked the beginning of Arthur Rackham’s long and illustrious career… His first book illustrations were for To the Other Side, a travel guide and now particularly rare book, and the Dolly Dialogues published in 18 respectively. During this period Rackham contributed occasional illustrations to magazines such as Scraps and Chums, efforts decidedly indicative of an artist in search of a style. Immediately after leaving school, Rackham started work as a clerk at the Westminster Fire Office which financed his burgeoning artistic studies at the Lambeth School of Art. By 1892 however, Rackham began reporting and illustrating for a number of London newspapers ‘distasteful hack work’ as he described it. Rackham won a couple of prizes for drawing during his school days, but showed little of the imaginative genius which marked his adult artwork. After a brief sojourn in Australia due to poor health, he spent his early education at the prestigious City of London School. Rackham was born in London as one of twelve siblings, the third surviving child of Annie and Alfred Rackham.

Origins of Fairy Tales from Around the WorldĪrthur Rackham (19th September 1867 – 6th September 1939) was one of the most celebrated artists of the British Golden Age of Illustration an artist who still delights both young and old over a century later.

Peter pan in kensington gardens arthur rackham