Fine Art Poster
From $29
A giclée print on 200gsm matte fine art paper, using a twelve-colour process for accurate, fade-resistant colour. Supplied unframed, delivered flat or rolled.
The Pool of Tears - Arthur Rackham
Regular price
$29.00 USD
Sale price
$29.00 USD
Regular price
Archival giclée
Frames arrive ready to hang
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Made to order
Description
A classic illustration by Arthur Rackham from the 1907 edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, featuring Alice swimming with a group of creatures.
Arthur Rackham produced this illustration for the 1907 edition of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The scene depicts Alice swimming alongside a collection of creatures in the pool formed by her own tears. Rackham employs his characteristic style, combining fine, controlled pen-and-ink lines with a muted, atmospheric watercolour wash. The composition is dense, with the figures arranged in a crowded, almost chaotic manner that reflects the absurdity of the narrative.
Rackham's approach to the subject avoids the bright, primary colours often associated with children's literature of the period. Instead, he uses a palette of greys, browns, and soft, desaturated tones to create a sense of depth and texture. The creatures, including the Dodo, the Mouse, and the Lory, are rendered with a blend of anatomical precision and whimsical characterisation. Alice herself is depicted with a calm, somewhat detached expression, contrasting with the frantic movement of the animals surrounding her. The fine line work defines the feathers, fur, and facial features of the creatures, while the wash provides a sense of the murky water in which they are submerged.
This work demonstrates Rackham's ability to interpret literary fantasy through a lens of grounded, almost Victorian realism. His attention to detail, particularly in the rendering of the animals, provides a tangible quality to the surreal environment. The print captures the specific aesthetic of the Edwardian era, where the boundaries between adult illustration and children's books were fluid. By focusing on the interplay between the human figure and the animal subjects, Rackham creates a balanced, albeit crowded, visual narrative that remains faithful to the original text while offering a distinct artistic perspective.
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Because every print is made to order, we don't offer change-of-mind returns, refunds or exchanges. If your order arrives faulty, damaged or incorrect, we'll replace it free of charge — just contact us within 48 hours of delivery. See our refunds page for full details.
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We ship worldwide, printing at the production hub nearest to your delivery address. Delivery times and costs vary by destination — you'll see the options available to you at checkout.
Manufacturing
Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
Care and materials
Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
Care & Cleaning
To keep your artwork looking its best:
- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
- Handle prints with clean, dry hands
Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Complete The Look
The Pool of Tears - Arthur Rackham
Regular price
From $29.00 USD
Sale price
From $29.00 USD
Regular price
Fine Art Poster / A4 (21x29.7 cm) / -
Artist Biography
Arthur Rackham
Rackham was one of twelve children and smuggled pencils into bed to draw under the covers. When his parents confiscated the paper, he drew on his pillowcase. At seventeen his health was poor enough that he was sent on an ocean voyage to Australia with two aunts. He drew the entire way. The trip settled two things: his health recovered, and he knew he would be an artist.
He came back to London and got a job as an insurance clerk at the Westminster Fire Office, studying part-time at the Lambeth School of Art. In 1892 he left insurance for the Westminster Budget, where he worked as a reporter and illustrator. The illustration work took over. His watercolour of Winchelsea had already been accepted by the Royal Academy and sold for two guineas when he was twenty-one.
He met the painter Edyth Starkie over a garden fence. She encouraged him to stop imitating other illustrators and follow his own instinct, which ran toward twisted trees, gnarled roots and creatures that lived in the gaps between the real and the imagined. They married in 1903. That same year he illustrated The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, which was reprinted twice and made his name.
His style fused northern European line drawing (Durer, Altdorfer) with Japanese woodblock composition. The trees have faces. The roots have fingers. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Rip Van Winkle followed, the latter a turning point in book production: its fifty-one colour plates demonstrated that colour-separated printing could accurately reproduce original artwork.
Guillermo del Toro cited Rackham as an influence on the Faun in Pan's Labyrinth. Brian Froud credited him with sparking an interest in fairy illustration. He worked until the end: his final commission, The Wind in the Willows, was completed in 1939 shortly before his death at seventy-one.
He came back to London and got a job as an insurance clerk at the Westminster Fire Office, studying part-time at the Lambeth School of Art. In 1892 he left insurance for the Westminster Budget, where he worked as a reporter and illustrator. The illustration work took over. His watercolour of Winchelsea had already been accepted by the Royal Academy and sold for two guineas when he was twenty-one.
He met the painter Edyth Starkie over a garden fence. She encouraged him to stop imitating other illustrators and follow his own instinct, which ran toward twisted trees, gnarled roots and creatures that lived in the gaps between the real and the imagined. They married in 1903. That same year he illustrated The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm, which was reprinted twice and made his name.
His style fused northern European line drawing (Durer, Altdorfer) with Japanese woodblock composition. The trees have faces. The roots have fingers. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Rip Van Winkle followed, the latter a turning point in book production: its fifty-one colour plates demonstrated that colour-separated printing could accurately reproduce original artwork.
Guillermo del Toro cited Rackham as an influence on the Faun in Pan's Labyrinth. Brian Froud credited him with sparking an interest in fairy illustration. He worked until the end: his final commission, The Wind in the Willows, was completed in 1939 shortly before his death at seventy-one.
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Every piece is printed to order. These are the five finishes, and what makes each one different.
Fine Art Framed
From $89
The same fine art print in a solid wood frame with UV-protective acrylic glaze and rigid backing. Five frame colours. Arrives ready to hang.
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