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Siegfried and The Twilight of the Gods are the two final operas in Richard Wagner's The Ring of Nibelung cycle. Wagner wrote the four pieces over the course of twenty-six years, from 1848-1874, with the first full performance staged at Bayreuth in Germany in 1876. Inspired by Germanic heroic legend, the saga spans generations as they battle for 'The Ring' that would grant world supremacy.
Rackham illustrated the operas which were published in pairs in 1910 and 1911 respectively, and to much acclaim. The ethereal quality of his illustrations expertly captures the world of gods, heroes, dwarfs and other mythical creatures. Of his work, C.S Lewis said: Rackham's pictures seemed to me to be the very music made visible...I have seldom coveted anything as I covet that book...
The present work depicts the following moment from the series:
"The ring upon thy hand -
...ah, be implored!
For Wotan fling it away!"