Puss in boots. 1911

Arthur Rackham made this illustration, Puss in Boots, with ink and watercolor, and it’s like stepping into a shadowy stage set. The palette here is all earth tones, with a barely-there wash of blue for the sky – it’s like the colours themselves are whispering secrets. The way Rackham uses line is wild, almost scribbled, like he’s coaxing the scene out of the darkness. Look at the figure’s cloak; the hatching isn't just shading, it's like the garment is vibrating, alive. The stone steps, they're not just solid forms, they're built from countless tiny strokes, each one hinting at texture, age, and the weight of time. That dark, wiry line reminds me of Aubrey Beardsley, but with a touch more warmth, like a fairytale dreamed up on a chilly autumn evening. Ultimately, it is the ambiguity in Rackham's work that invites each of us to find our own meanings within the art.