301 - WAGNER, Richard, and RACKHAM, Arthur. *The Ring of the Nibelung: Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods*.

WAGNER, Richard, and RACKHAM, Arthur. *The Ring of the Nibelung: Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods*. Paris: Hachette et Cie, n.d. [1911] In-8 (24 x 19 cm), publisher’s red full-cloth binding, with illustrated dust jacket. 185 pp., 30 plates. Micro-tears along the edge of the dust jacket; traces of tape on the endpapers. An edition illustrated by Arthur Rackham of the second and final part—comprising “Siegfried” and “The Twilight of the Gods”—of Richard Wagner’s tetralogy “The Ring of the Nibelung.” The translation, in rhythmic prose, is by Alfred Ernst (Périgueux, 1860–Paris, 1898). 30 illustrations by Arthur Rackham, printed in color on coated paper, mounted on heavy brown vellum, protected by borders inscribed in bistre. Arthur Rackham was born on September 19, 1867, in London. He began by working as a journalist for sensationalist illustrated magazines before being offered contracts to illustrate books. He achieved his first successes with Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” (1904), followed by James Matthew Barrie’s “Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens” (1906). His career took a major turn with Lewis Carroll’s *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland* in 1907, as the controversy surrounding this work propelled him to fame. From then on, Arthur Rackham was able to devote himself entirely to book illustration. His works were featured in numerous exhibitions, notably at the Louvre in 1914. A beautiful, very fresh copy, complete with all plates and with the dust jacket intact (rare).