96 RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); CARROLL, Lewis. “At this the whole pack rose up into the air, and came flying down upon her”. 1907 An exquisite watercolour for Rackham’s illustrated Alice Published within Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1907. This fine watercolour of the climax of the book was originally reproduced opposite page 158 and is one of the 13 colour plates. In 1907 the copyright of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland expired, and numerous publishers issued newly illustrated editions. There was early and hostile criticism for all artists who dared stand comparison with John Tenniel. Rackham’s edition is one of the few that has endured and his illustrations are now considered classics of the genre. The Daily Telegraph reviewed the book, noting that “Rackham’s inexhaustible imagination, working over and embroidering the groundwork of Tenniel’s types, has added a really wonderful wealth of uncanny, dreamlike mystery to the story . . . [and] extraordinary feeling into the drawing of the hands”. Rackham received one letter stating, “your delightful Alice is alive and makes by contrast Tenniel’s Alice look a stiff wooden puppet”. Rackham’s model for Alice herself was the same person that he would later use for Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Doris Jane Dommett later become a painter of miniatures and recalled that Rackham “chose me from a number of little girls and I was so pleased he copied my print frock exactly, because it was one my mother had allowed me to design myself” (Hamilton, pp. 86–9). Original drawing (240 × 168 mm) on artist’s board (284 × 184 mm with “Smith’s Specially Prepared Boards” printed on reverse), fine ink and watercolour, signed and dated (“Arthur Rackham 07”) lower right, remnants of title below mount, mounted, framed, and glazed (framed size 410 × 332 mm). Fine condition. ¶ James Hamilton, Arthur Rackham: a Life with Illustration , 1990. Exhibited: Leicester Galleries, London, January–February 1908, item 27. £125,000 [154964] 97 RACKHAM, Arthur (illus.); CARROLL, Lewis. “Alice”. 1907 The original artwork for the frontispiece Published within Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland in 1907. This fine watercolour of the title character was used as the frontispiece for the book and is one of the 13 colour plates. (For note on this edition, see item 96.) Original drawing (175 × 80 mm) on artist’s board (230 × 133 mm with “O. W. Paper & Arts” printed on reverse), fine ink and watercolour, signed and dated (“ARackham ‘09”) lower left, mounted, framed, and glazed (framed size 341 × 245 mm). Some adhesive residue below mount, a fine and unfaded drawing. ¶ Exhibited: Leicester Galleries, London, January–February 1908, item 8. £45,000 [154980]
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All items are fully described and photographed at peterharrington.co.uk
CHILDREN’S BOOKS & ORIGINAL ARTWORK
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