Arthur RackhamBritish, 1867–1939The Wren and the Bear
Can I see it?
Not on view at present
Where is “The Wren and the Bear” now? Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Not on view at present. Checked September 29, 2026.
Cleveland, United States
It belongs to the collection, but is not on display at present.
- Checked
- In this state since
- Source
- The museum
About the work
The battle depicted here between flying and land animals is from the fairy tale “The Wren and the Bear.” The bear insults the wren, the king of the birds, leading to a war. Most of Arthur Rackham’s best-known illustrations combine intricate line work with delicate coloring. However, he also produced some silhouette illustrations like this one, created for a luxury edition of Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm. The illustration won a gold medal at the 1906 Milan International Exhibition, where it was exhibited as The Battle between the Air and the Earth.
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Details
- Accession number
- 1946.8
In the catalog
Sources
- The Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image: The Cleveland Museum of Art — Museum open access
In the life of Arthur Rackham
The whole life1901
Moves to Wychcombe Studios
He moves to Wychcombe Studios near Haverstock Hill.
1903
Marries his neighbour Edyth Starkie
He marries his neighbour Edyth Starkie; their only daughter, Barbara, will be born in 1908.
1904
Edyth suffers a miscarriage
Edyth suffers a miscarriage; their daughter Barbara will be born four years later.
