Arthur Rackham, R.W.S. (1867-1939)

Whilst it has not been possible to identify the subject of this drawing, an inscription in French on the reverse suggests that it was probably illustrated in the December 1905 edition of the popular magazine Lectures pour Tous. It seems likely that it was used as an advertisement for a French edition of a book released for Christmas that year. In 1905 Rackham’s illustrations were published in editions of Irving Washington’s Rip Van Winkle, and Cassell & Co.’s compilation of Fairy Tales Old and New.