The Rhine-Maidens teasing Alberich 1910

Arthur Rackham spun this scene of "The Rhine-Maidens teasing Alberich" out of ink and watercolor, and it feels like it just emerged from a dream. Look at the way the figures seem to float and intertwine, their forms dissolving into the watery depths. I imagine Rackham hunched over his drawing board, delicately layering washes of color to create this ethereal atmosphere. What was he thinking when he made it? The contrast between Alberich's earthiness and the Rhine-Maidens' fluidity is striking. The lines are so delicate, but they convey so much about the characters' personalities and their relationship to one another. It’s like Rackham is inviting us to dive into this mythical world and lose ourselves in its mysteries. It reminds me of when I'm trying to get to grips with something, how the lines blur, the shapes shift, and meaning emerges out of the chaos. It's a beautiful, messy process, and isn't that what art is all about?