The Snow Queen ("The old woman went right into the water") by Rackham, Arthur - 1932

1932. Watercolor and pen and black ink on illustration board, signed "A. Rackham" (lower right). 14 x 11-1/2 in. Matted and framed. Watercolor and pen and black ink on illustration board, signed "A. Rackham" (lower right). 14 x 11-1/2 in. Original watercolor illustrating an episode from "The Snow Queen," from Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, published by Harrap in 1932, for which Rackham executed 8 color and 19 black-and-white illustrations. The present illustration is reproduced in black-and-white on page 55. Gerda called out still louder, and then there came out fo the house an old, old woman leaning on a crutch: she had on a big sun-hat, painted with the most lovely flowers. 'You poor little child!' said the old woman. 'How did you manage to come on the great strong river, and to float so far out into the wide world?' And then the old woman went right into the water, hooked the boat with her crutch, drew it to land, and lifted little Gerda out" (Fairy Tales, p. 54). Literature: Andersen, Fairy Tales (George G. Harrap & Co., 1932), p. 55; Latimore & Haskell, p. 68; Riall, p. 177