Arthur Rackham. His Life and Work

London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1960. The Most Beautifully Produced of all the Rackham Bibliographies

[RACKHAM, Arthur]. HUDSON, Derek. Arthur Rackham. His Life and Work. London: William Heinemann Ltd., [1960].

First edition. Large quarto (11 x 8 1/2 inches; 280 x 216 mm.). [1]-181, [3 blank] pp. Seventy illustrations including 41 mounted plates, the majority in full color.

Publisher's maroon buckram, front cover decoratively stamped in black, spine with black label lettered in gilt decorative endpapers, top edge stained blue. A near fine copy in a very good pictorial dust jacket with a couple of closed tears.

"For more than half a century Arthur Rackham's illustrations have cast their spell on adults and children alike. They possess qualities which make a work live: faultless draughtsmanship allied to an imagination which may be delicate or grotesque, but is always original and illuminating. Derek Hudson introduces us to the man behind the work and comments on his technique and achievements, often illustrating his point with reproductions of Rackham's own drawings or plates. Throughout the book he mentions all of Rackham's most important work which has appeared in print, and there is also a very full checklist. The book is therefore invaluable to those (and their number is growing) who collect Rackham originals and first editions. The many beautiful colour plates however, make this a book not for the collector only but for all admirers of Rackham, both those who come to him afresh today and those who have always delighted in his unique appeal." (Dust jacket front flap).