Images of women in children’s literature have encompassed every aspect of human and spiritual life, whether good or evil, beautiful or ugly, innocent or depraved. As authors employed their words to convey such characteristics, artists and illustrators translated words into idiosyncratic, individualized, yet curiously imitative portraits to convey their interpretation of an author’s intent. In this grouping, and in reference to the works by Arthur Rackham, illustrators brought an author’s imagination from words to pictures that captivated both younger and older readers. Often, an illustrator might pay homage to a predecessor by painting a sympathetic or reflective depiction of that artist’s imagined portrait of a woman whose actual image exists originally in words. Compare the depictions of women as imagined by Beardsley, Pogány and Rackham for examples of such real or imagined influence.

William Shakespeare and Arthur Rackham Fair Helena, who more engilds the night than all yon fiery oes and eyes of light from William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer-Night’s Dream 1908 7 ½ in x 5 in. PR2827 .A2 R3 1908b Harold and Mary Jean Hanson Rare Book Collection	Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm, and Arthur Rackham Suddenly the branches twined round her and turned into two arms from [the Brothers Grimm’s] Little Brother & Little Sister: And Other Tales T. and A. Constable 1917 7 ¼ in. x 6 in. 39h218 Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature	Sir Thomas Malory and Arthur Rackham How at the Castle of Corbin a maiden bare in the Sangreal and foretold the achievements of Galahad Abridged from Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte D’Arthur, The Romance of King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table Macmillan and Co., Ltd. 1917 7 in. x 4 ¾ in. 39h15325 Baldwin Library of Historical Children’s Literature