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Estimate: $ 12,000 - $ 18,000
ARTHUR RACKHAM "Sigfried sees himself in the stream." Illustration published in Sigfried and The Twilight of the Gods by Richard Wagner, translated by Margaret Armour (London: William Heinemann; New York: Doubleday Page & Co., 1911). Watercolor, pen, and ink over graphite on board. 279x406 mm; 11x16 inches. Matted to 25x19 3/4 inches. Signed and dated "A Rackham 14" in lower left image.
Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods are the final two operas of Wagner's four-opera cycle, collectively called "Der Ring des Nibelungen" ("The Ring of the Nibelung"). Inspired by the legends of Norse mythology, the work follows an epic story that chronicles the struggles of gods, heroes and mythical creatures.
Rackham created thirty illustrations for Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods, and is widely considered Rackham's most impressive work. This work is a good example of the artist's haunting aesthetic, through his use of subdued colors and fine lines.
Provenance: A present from Katherine Miller to her daughter Mable 'Polly' Miller on her 11th birthday in 1938. Has remained in the family until now.
