Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) The Three Norns Winding the Rope ...

Hammer

£5,200

Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) The Three Norns Winding the Rope of Fate Original pen, ink, and watercolour, mounted, framed, and glazed (54 x 43.5 cm), with exhibition labels on verso. The Three Norns Winding the Rope of Fate portrays Erda’s daughters beneath Brünnhilde’s rock, created as an illustration (“The Three Norns,” p.103) for Rackham’s 1911 edition of Richard Wagner’s Siegfried & the Twilight of the Gods. Exhibited at the Leicester Galleries, Exhibition of Works by Arthur Rackham, November 1911, Lot 23; subsequently acquired by Miss Ionides, later appearing in The Fine Art Society’s Arthur Rackham retrospective, February 1971, with exhibition labels retained on the verso. This work exemplifies Rackham’s unique ability to blend mythological depth with lyrical artistry. Drawing on Norse mythology, the Norns—Urd, Verðandi, and Skuld—sit beneath Brünnhilde’s rock, weaving the threads of fate that govern gods and mortals alike. Rooted in Wagner’s reinterpretation of these figures, the illustration captures the eternal guardianship of destiny at the heart of the cosmos. With its distinguished provenance, mythological resonance, and iconic status within Rackham’s Wagner series, the piece embodies both the enduring allure of Norse myth and the Edwardian fascination with Wagnerian drama. Provenance; Michael Webb, former Director of Bonhams, by inheritance.