Cover2Cover: Poe's Tales of Mystery & Imagination - Illustrated by Arthur Rackham 1935
There is something modern about Arthur Rackham’s (1867-1939) illustrations. For example, compare his illustrations for Alice in Wonderland to those of say, John Tenniel (probably the two most iconic illustrations of Alice ever created). Tenniel’s illustrations are clearly from a different age, while Rackham’s, despite being a century old, have a fresh feel.
I can only guess that this has to do with Rackham’s unique style. As the English writer M. C. Salaman wrote in 1894: “Scores of others have depicted fairyland and wonderland, but who else has given us so absolutely individual and persuasively suggestive a vision of their marvels and allurements? Whose elves are so elfish, whose witches and gnomes are so convincingly of their kind.”
Maybe the freshness also comes from the influence Rackham has had on more modern dark fantasy art, such as the animated version of The Hobbit (1977), Brian Froude and Jim Henson’s The Dark Crystal (1982), and Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth (2004).
Rackham was a master of both light and dark fantasy. The best example of the latter is probably his illustrations for Edgar Allen Poe’s Tales of Mystery and Imagination (1935). We recently got a copy of the trade edition in the store.
Here are all 12 color illustrations in the book:
From The Tell Tale Heart
“It grew louder-louder-louder! And still the men chatted pleasantly, and smiled.”
From The Cask of Amontillado
“The wall was now nearly upon a level with my breast. Unsheathing my rapier, I began to grope with it about the recess.”
From Hop-Frog
“Tripetta advanced to the monarch’s seat, and falling on her knees before him, implored him to spare her friend.”
From King Pest
“The victorious Legs rushed out with her into the street, followed by the redoubtable Hugh Tarpaulin”
From The Pit and The Pendulum
“At length for my seared and writhing body there was no longer an inch of foothold on the firm floor of the prison.”
From The Masque of The Red Death
“The Masqueraders”
From The Fall of the House of Usher
“I at length found myself within view of the melancholy House of Usher.”
From The Oval Portrait
“He turned suddenly to regard his beloved: - She was dead!”
From Ligeia
“She came and departed as a shadow.”
From Eleonora
“About this valley roamed I with Eleonora.”
From Ms. Found in a Bottle
“Their grey hairs streamed terribly in the tempest.”
From Metzengerstein
“The young Metzengerstein seemed riveted to the saddle of that colossal horse.”
P.S. The Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum also did a nice piece on the "horrific design" for the endpapers at the top of the blog here.
