Arthur Rackham Toes

I would be pretty surprised if you haven’t heard of Arthur Rackham. Quite possibly the most famous English illustrator of the early 20th century, he illustrated dozens of books in a variety of styles. My personal favourites are Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Aesop’s Fables, Peter Pan in Kensington Garden, Undine, the Ring Cycle, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the Wind in the Willows.

Rackham is one of the definitive architects of my childhood, shaping both my understanding of the stories his work accompanied, my imagination, and at its core what I think illustration should be.

What I like best about Rackham’s work, though, is how he does toes. From the delicate, graceful toes of the Rhinemaidens to the gnarled, prehensile toes of the evil Alberich; the plump, tiny toes of Hansel & Gretel to the imposing toes of giants, twisted as ancient oaks. Click any of the thumbnails below to see these examples of Rackham’s magnificent work with toes in all their glorious detail.