Rackham’s macabre, mysterious and intricate images of fairyland appealed to Barrie and he chose the artist to illustrate Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens published in 1906.
He passed under the bridge and came up within full sight of the delectable Gardens offered at Phillips (15 per cent buyer’s premium) was one of the original illustrations from the book.
At 7 by 101/4in (18 x 26cm), this pen, ink and wash drawing on paper, right, signed and dated ’06, and owing something to the influence of Durer’s wood cuts, had been purchased in 1906 by the Hon Walter James at an exhibition at the Leicester Galleries and had been in the family ever since.
Fiercely contested by private collectors and specialist dealers from all over the world, the "charming” drawing eventually fell to a specialist dealer underbid by a private collector for £24,000.
The magic of Rackham
UK: IN 1905, the Leicester Galleries, regular show place for Arthur Rackham R.W.S. (1867-1939) introduced Rackham to J.M. Barrie and as they say, the rest is history.
