‘Well!’ she chuckled, ‘I am in luck!’ 1927

Arthur Rackham’s illustration, '"Well!’ she chuckled, ‘I am in luck!’," feels like it emerged from a fairy tale, conjured with delicate lines and muted watercolour washes. I can imagine Rackham hunched over his drawing board, patiently building up layers of translucent color to create this slightly eerie scene. I empathize with the artist, I wonder what it was like to be in his head. Was he aiming for the grotesque, the fantastical, the unsettling, or the absurd? How did he feel looking at his artwork? What did he think about the narrative it conveyed? That beastly figure has real presence. It’s slightly terrifying. The way it looms over the old woman. You know she must feel afraid, but maybe she is more intrigued. Rackham's work feels timeless. Like it's been in conversation with other illustrators and artists for years, inspiring their flights of fancy. I would be honoured to speak to him and see what we both might learn. It’s a reminder that creativity is a constant exchange.