A GIFT WITH A DRAWING FROM RACKHAM TO HIS DAUGHTER
The Secret Garden
Heinemann, 1911.
First edition. 8vo. Original green cloth with gilt vignettes and title. Inscribed on the half title by Arthur Rackham to his nine year old daughter, "Barbara Mary Rackham from her Father, January 1917", accompanying the inscription is a vignette drawing of a little girl in a night gown. Eight full page colour plates and pictorial endpapers by Charles Robinson. A very good copy, showing some signs of age, but remaining attractive. To the head of the half title is a felt tip name of a subsequent child owner, Rosie Wild. Housed in custom made collector's box.
Barbara Rackham was born in 1908 and her father enjoyed helping her develop her knowledge of books, art and museums, by reading aloud and suggesting suitable and age appropriate books.
Writing in The Junior Book of Authors he made clear his belief in the importance of exposing children to fine literature and illustration.
"I firmly believe in the greatest stimulating and educative power of imaginative, fantastic, and playful pictures and writings for children in their most impressionable years... Children will make no mistakes in the way of confusing the imaginative and symbolic with the actual. Nor are they blind to decorative or arbitrarily designed treatment in art, any more than they are to poetic or rhythmic form in literature."
During the war years Mrs Rackham and her daughter left London to avoid the air raids and it was during this period that Rackham presented this book to Barbara.
PROVENANCE: From the library of Barbara Rackham.
Stock ID: 31871
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