Women Illustrators

Although many of the best-known Arthurian illustrators—such as Arthur Rackham, Walter Crane, Howard Pyle, Russell Flint, Gustave Doré, and Lancelot Speed (all of whom are represented in this exhibition)—were men, women artists also made an invaluable contribution. As displayed here, their work spans many genres: watercolor, pen-and-ink, pencil, monoprint, embroidery, stained glass, even origami.

While their media vary, many of those female artists and illustrators share a fresh perspective on the traditional stories. In their work, they often emphasize (and occasionally empower) the female characters in the legends, from Guinevere and Elaine of Astolat to Vivien and Morgan le Fay, and offer exciting new visions of the Arthurian world.