Are quotations Purple? These Ones are in Green

I was just doing some research the other day and came across this quote from Rudyard Kipling. It was a little disheartening to read it, I felt like I was being called out, lol.

He wrapped himself in quotations- as a beggar would enfold himself in the purple of Emperors. - Rudyard Kipling

I am not sure if Kipling's statement is a compliment or a critique. But in reference to my blog here, It may have started out somewhere along those lines. Using quotes as a jumping off point for philosophy and inspiration, and still is somewhat - I guess today's entry is a perfect example. But it has evolved a lot since then. A lot of times I pull the quote myself from my own actual paper (not digital) library to illustrate a specific point I am trying to make, or as an example in the discussion of an artist. This blog is more about the creative process, sharing my own artwork and discussing it, and art history; specifically looking at art's journey from from merely 'reproducing nature' to a much more open-ended and boundless adventure.

Arthur Rackham, from Rudyard Kipling's Puck of Pook Hill,
published by New York, Doubleday, Page and Co. 1906.

This illustration is by that great early 20th century English children's books illustrator Arthur Rackham, from one of Rudyard Kipling's books - Puck of Pook Hill published in 1906. As I've said before I really dig Rackham's style - kind of almost gothic, heavily detailed, an eye for the simple and the extraordinary; his contrast between fantastical and foreboding in his compositions.

Arthur Rackham Illustrations From Alice in Wonderland and Peter Pan

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939); One of if not the best illustrator of childrens books from early last century. This English artist painted Alphonse Mucha-esque compositions full of incredible detail, and fantastic vision. For a children's book illustrator he definitely had kind of a darker almost gothic style, I really dig it. These two illustrations below are from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1907) and Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie, (1906).

Arthur Rackham, Advice From A Caterpillar, 1907.

"For children in their most impressionable years, there is, in fantasy, the highest of stimulating and educational powers."

-Arthur Rackham

I couldn't agree more with Mr. Rackham's quote, it reminds me of part of the engraving that sits atop the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art:

"The soul has greater need of the ideal than of the real."

-Victor Hugo

Fantasy author's like Robert Jordan, Tolkien, Gary Gygax, and a host of others have had a huge influence on my imagination and therefore my artistic style. I had a friend once who always expressed his dismay with fantasy and imagination works of art or literature, saying they had no use in reality. I could not disagree more with that line of thinking, to not have any idealistic vision would mean that there is no goals for us to reach towards. It is by developing our imagination that our perspective and understanding of this world grows.

Rackham's collection of gnomes, sprites, fairies, woodlands, and more definitely inspires wonder and imagination. I think I would like to acquire an original book with his illustrations in it, but anyways to see more of his work, check out his biography: Arthur Rackham and His Art.

Arthur Rackham, Put his strange case before old Solomon Caw, 1906

Digg It! ,