Hunding discovers the likeness between Siegmund and Sieglinde 1910

Arthur Rackham made this illustration of Hunding, Siegmund, and Sieglinde with ink and watercolor, probably in the early 20th century. There’s something almost tentative about the marks, like he’s feeling his way through the story one line at a time. Look at the surface, you can see the grain of the paper. The ink creates these wiry, almost scratchy lines that define the space and figures, while the watercolour washes add a soft, dreamlike quality. The color palette is muted, mostly earth tones, which gives the scene a kind of ancient, folkloric feel. There’s a real contrast between the darkness of Hunding and the lightness of Siegmund and Sieglinde, suggesting a kind of moral or spiritual opposition. I find myself drawn to the way Rackham renders the wood grain of the table and walls. It’s so detailed and intricate, it almost becomes a character in itself, emphasizing the setting and the mood of this scene. Like the way art itself is an unfolding story that we discover over time. Think of the Pre-Raphaelites, like Burne-Jones, who were also drawn to myth and legend. They all explore the space between realism and fantasy.