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Beauties and Beasts: The Fairy Tale Illustrations of Arthur Rackham and Victorian Physiognomy

Stevens, Linnea Grace
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2593-0776
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1642089801616824

Abstract Details

2022, Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, Art History (Fine Arts).
Physiognomy is the pseudoscientific study of the causal relationship between a person’s exterior body and their inner character. Physiognomy was largely accepted in Victorian society and had a tremendous impact on both the arts and sciences of the period. One of the areas we can see evidence of this is in illustration, particularly in the way good and evil characters are designed. The fairy tale illustrator Arthur Rackham shows this strong contrast in the way that his characters are portrayed. His protagonists are serene and idealized, incorporating beauty standards of the Victorian Era. His villains are grotesque, often with animalistic features which make each creature seem like an evolutionary missing link. By incorporating principles of physiognomy, Arthur Rackham used a visual shorthand to identify which characters were good and evil in fairy tale illustrations.
Samuel Dodd (Committee Member)
Jennie Klein (Committee Chair)
Charles Buchanan (Committee Member)
148 p.
Aesthetics; Anatomy and Physiology; Art Criticism; Art Education; Art History; British and Irish Literature; Criminology; European History; Evolution and Development; Fine Arts; History; Science History; Womens Studies
arthur rackham; victorian illustration; edwardian illustration; english illustration; british illustration; fairy tale; fairy tale illustration; physiognomy; phrenology; pathognomy; criminology; evolution; pseudoscience; victorian morals; victorian women; idealism; grotesque; othering; beauty; ugliness; orientalism; preraphaelite; aestheticism

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Stevens, L. G. (2022). Beauties and Beasts: The Fairy Tale Illustrations of Arthur Rackham and Victorian Physiognomy [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1642089801616824

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Stevens, Linnea. Beauties and Beasts: The Fairy Tale Illustrations of Arthur Rackham and Victorian Physiognomy . 2022. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1642089801616824.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Stevens, Linnea. "Beauties and Beasts: The Fairy Tale Illustrations of Arthur Rackham and Victorian Physiognomy ." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1642089801616824

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ohiou1642089801616824
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This open access ETD is published by Ohio University and OhioLINK.