Brunnhilde with her horse, at the mouth of the cave 1910

Arthur Rackham made this dreamlike drawing of Brunnhilde, on her horse, at the mouth of the cave, with ink and watercolour. The whole thing is made up of such careful cross hatching and tiny little marks. I wonder what it was like for Rackham to make this? Did he slowly build it up, like a nest? Or was it more like automatic writing, going into a trance to conjure her figure, her steed, and the ominous forest? The surface seems dry and matte. And the horse is an absolute marvel. Look how Rackham shows its tremendous strength with line, and how the texture of its coat emerges with all those tiny marks. A lot of illustrators were working at this time, and they all inspire each other. It makes me think about Paula Rego and Kay Nielsen. I love how artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other’s creativity. Each mark embodies the artist’s expression, inviting multiple interpretations and meanings.