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"Peer Gynt" (1936)

 

Illustrated by Arthur Rackham

 

 

Peer Gynt was originally written by Henrik Ibsen in 1867, when he was nearly forty. Accoring to Ibsen's own comments, it was conceived in

the mood of a "Korstog-Jubel" - a "Crusader's Song of Triumph".

 

The play is first and foremost a poetic fantasy and only incidentally a satire. It is a fantasy woven out of the folklore of Ibsen's Scandinavian

heritage and embroidered by his wealth of thought and keen wit. There is philosophy to be found in it, no doubt, but Ibsen did not set out to

write a philosophical poem, but a fantasy involving the legendary character of Peer Gynt (reputed to have been an inhabitant of Gudbrandsdal

in the 18th Century) who is also mentioned in Asbjörnsen's Norwegian Fairy Tales as having a penchant for fighting and conquering trolls.

 

On the question of his inspiration, in 1880 Ibsen wrote the following:

 

To make the matter intelligible I should have to write a whole book, and for that the time has

not yet come. Everything that I have written has the closest possible connection with what I

have lived through, even if it has not been my own personal experience; in every new poem

or play I have aimed at my own spiritual emancipation and purification.

 

 

One of the outstanding features of Peer Gynt - the characters of Aase, Peer's mother, and the incident woven around her - was derived from

Ibsen's own experiences, for as he wrote in 1870, "This poem contains much that is reminiscent of my own youth; for Aase my mother - with

necessary exaggerations - served as model".

 

In 1876, Ibsen prepared an abridged version of Peer Gynt for presentation at the Christiania theatre, where it was performed with Grieg's

incidental music and, in time, it became a feature in the repertories of the major Scandinavian theatres. Foreign language translations followed,

German in 1881, English in 1892 and French in 1896.

 

Arthur Rackham's interpretation of Ibsen's classic work retains all the characteristics of Rackham's illustrative approach, while imbibing the

images with a Scandinavian sense that is entirely complementary to Ibsen's play.

 

The contemporary review in "The New York Times Book Review" (Vol. 2; 1936) included the following comment:

 

Henrik Ibsen's "Peer Gynt" has been ... illustrated with many of Arthur Rackham's delightfully

impish and imaginative drawings in colour. It is seldom that the work of artist and author is

more happily married than in this volume.

 

 

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Cover for ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) illustrated by Arthur Rackham

 

 

On the left, we show a rare copy of "Peer Gynt" illustrated by Rackham and produced by

George G Harrap & Co. Ltd (London) in 1936.

 

This example retains the original decoratively gilt-stamped red cloth cloth cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To the right, we show the decorated Title Page

designed by Rackham.

Title Page for ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) illustrated by Arthur Rackham          

Rackham's suite of illustrations for "Peer Gynt'' (1936) included 12 colour plates and more than 20 monotones images.

 

 

Our Greeting Cards and Fine Art Posters showing Arthur Rackham's

artwork for the First Edition of "Peer Gynt" (1936)

 

 

Greeting Card sample showing an Arthur Rackham illustration from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936)

 

 

 

For connoisseurs of Rackham's work, we have prepared sets of 12 Greeting Cards (approximately 7x5" on premium acid-free card stock)

displaying each of his major colour images for "Peer Gynt" and on the left, we show an example of how those Greeting Cards appear.

 

 

 

 

Code: AR PG CS(12)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

When presented on Greeting Cards, these images are prepared as tipped-on plates - in 'hommage' to the hand-crafted approach

typical of prestige illustrated publications produced in the early decades of the 20th Century. Each card is hand-finished and the

images are presented on Ivory card stock with an accompanying envelope. The rear of each card carries information about

Arthur Rackham, this wonderful suite and the profiled illustration - we have left the interior of the cards blank so that you may write

your own personal message.

 

Should you wish to order a reproduction print of one or more of these images, we have provided some options below. Each of our

Fine Art Posters is prepared with archival quality papers and inks - and also accompanied by information about Arthur Rackham,

this suite and the profiled illustration.

 

To purchase, simply click on the appropriate "Add to Cart" button and you will be taken through to our Shopping Cart secured through

PayPal. Multiple purchases will be consolidated by that feature and shipping and handling costs to any destination in the world are

accommodated by our flat-rate fee of US$20 for every US$200 worth of purchases.

 

Of course, should you wish to discuss some customised options, we welcome your contact on any matter through

ThePeople@SpiritoftheAges.com.

 

In the meantime, enjoy perusing these wonderful images from Arthur Rackham.

Fine Art Poster sample showing an Arthur Rackham illustration from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936)

 

An example of one of our Fine Art Posters

in a superb 12x18" format

     

 

The colour illustrations by Arthur Rackham

for the First Edition of "Peer Gynt" (1936)

 

 

Arthur Rackham - 'Peer before the King of the Trolls' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'Aase on the Mill-house Roof' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'Peer among the Wedding Guests' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'Peer and Solveig at the Wedding' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936)  

Peer before the King of the Tolls

(Frontispiece)

 

 

Aase on the Mill-house Roof

Peer among the Wedding Guests

Peer and Solveig at the Wedding

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 1 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 2 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 3 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 4 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
Arthur Rackham - 'Peer follows the Woman in Green' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'The Dance of the Trolls' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'Peer and the Troll Witch' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936)

Arthur Rackham - 'The Death of Aase' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936)

 

Peer follows the Woman in Green

 

 

The Dance of the Trolls

Peer and the Troll Witch

 

 

The Death of Aase

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 5 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 16(12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 7 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 18(12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
Arthur Rackham - 'Anitra's Dance' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'Peer and the Statue of Memnon' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'Peer and the Threadballs' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936) Arthur Rackham - 'The Thin Person' from ''Peer Gynt'' (1936)  

Anitra's Dance

 

 

Peer and the Statue of Memnon

Peer and the Threadballs

 

The Thin Person

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 9 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 10 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 11 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

Fine Art Poster (12x18'')

Code: AR PG 12 (12x18)
Price: US$60.00

 

 

 

 
                       

 

 

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