“THE VERY MUSIC MADE VISIBLE” (C.S. LEWIS): THE RACKHAM EDITION OF WAGNER’S RING CYCLE, BOTH VOLUMES SIGNED BY THE ILLUSTRATOR

(RACKHAM, Arthur, illustrator) WAGNER, Richard. The Ring of the Niblung: The Rhinegold & The Valkyrie. WITH: Siegfried and the Twilight of the Gods… Translated by Margaret Armour. London: William Heinemann, 1910. Together, two volumes. Quarto, original full vellum gilt, top edge gilt, uncut. $5600.

First deluxe limited edition, each volume one of only 1150 copies (402 and 295, respectively) and each signed by Rackham, boasting in all 64 mounted color plates and 23 black-and-white drawings.

"Germany was Rackham's favorite holiday destination, and the country which, apart from England, had the single most important influence on his art" (Hamilton, 42). Appropriately, then, Rackham provided the libretti of Wagner's epic "Ring cycle"— arguably German opera's greatest achievement— with a dramatic series of illustrations, his only work aimed exclusively at adults. At least one child, however, saw and responded to Rackham's art: the young C.S. Lewis, who would later recall, "His pictures, which seemed to me then to be the very music made visible, plunged me a few fathoms deeper into my delight. I have seldom coveted anything as I coveted that book" (Hamilton, 101). The Rhinegold and The Valkyrie, first performed separately in 1869 and 1870, constitute the first half of Wagner's epic cycle; Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods, which complete it, were both first performed in 1876. Latimore & Haskell, 37-38. Riall, 103, 109. Bookplate, booksellers’ small ticket.

Without yellow silk ties in one volume, with ties laid into the second volume. Plates fine, vellum unusually fresh and clean, gilt bright. A beautiful set.