He saw by the moonlight momentarily unveiled, a little island encircled by the flood ; and there under the branches of the overhanging trees was Undine. 1912

Arthur Rackham made this illustration of Undine with ink and watercolor, and what strikes me first is its moody, dreamlike quality. The artmaking process here seems like a dance between control and letting go, the crisp lines of the figures contrasting with the soft washes of color. Look at the way the water gently flows around the rocks where Undine sits, captured with such delicate brushstrokes. It’s almost as if the water is alive, mirroring the fluid, ethereal nature of the nymph herself. Then notice the trees, their branches intertwined like tangled thoughts, each leaf meticulously rendered. The color palette, muted blues, greens, and browns, gives the scene a sense of mystery, as if we’re peering into a world just beyond our own. Rackham’s illustrations remind me a little of Kay Nielsen, both artists had a knack for creating these magical, otherworldly scenes. This piece invites us to embrace the unknown, to revel in the beauty of ambiguity, and to find wonder in the everyday.