The Miscellany - The Munich Shakespeare Library Blog

The fairy world in watercolour and ink: Arthur Rackham’s 1908 A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The illustrator Arthur Rackham is one of the most well-known artists working in what is now referred to as the “golden age” of English book illustrations, which lasted from about 1890 to the end of the first World War. This golden age followed the advent of photographic reproduction processes which made it possible to print coloured illustrations using either a three or four-ink process. This technological innovation gave rise to the popularity of luxuriously illustrated bound volumes, especially of classic literature and of fairytales, which were popular gifts and collectables during the late Victorian and Edwardian eras. Arthur Rackham became one of the most famous and influential illustrators of this type of book.

As can be seen in his illustrations of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Rackham uses a bold yet intricate style which relies on dark ink outlines and subtle water colouring. His linework shows great command of line weight and shape while making significant use of negative space. His subtle watercolour drawings utilise the natural translucence of the paint and both are indicative of the rising ‘art nouveau’ aesthetic ideal. Those familiar with the styles influential at the turn of the century will easily recognise the similarities between Rackham’s illustrations and the works of Alphonse Mucha or William Morris in their simplified, yet exaggerated shapes and motifs using clear, organically flowing shapes, though Rackham still also uses detailed scenes and textures. This makes his works appear not crowded but rather well-populated and inspires the viewer to linger. Throughout his career, Rackham focused on magical motifs and fairytales which feature those intricate and fantastic details, but which were nevertheless able to excite readers and their imaginations by a sense of authenticity and naturalism reminiscent of the Pre-Raphaelites.

The Shakespeare Research Library has recently acquired a work from the middle period of Rackham’s career: the UK trade edition of his 1908 illustrated A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This large, clothbound volume features 40 colour-printed watercolour illustrations and 30 ink illustrations, the latter often snaking around the edges of the page and around the dialogue, seamlessly intertwining Shakespeare’s words with Rackham’s artwork. Features such as a distinctly historicised title page and a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I pay homage to Early Modern book printing even though Rackham's actual illustrations consistently adhere to the soft, naturalistic aesthetics of the Edwardian era. Even though the popularity of this style of book illustration declined after the first World War, many of Rackham’s works are still being reprinted and can be found on postcards and wall calendars to this day.