The artwork titled “Erec is attacked in the forest by a stranger knight,” was created by Arthur Rackham and belongs to the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement. It is an illustration and forms part of the series “The Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table,” by Nelly Montijn-De Fouw.
In the artwork, a dramatic encounter unfolds within a dense, ominously wooded forest. Erec, the central figure, is depicted on horseback, momentarily rearing as he is confronted by a knight clad in armor, brandishing a weapon. The trees around them are large, twisted, and bare, adding a sense of tension and foreboding to the scene. To the side, a cloaked figure, possibly a witness or a mystical presence, can be seen peering from behind the contorted trunk of a gnarled tree. Rackham’s signature intricate lines and meticulous attention to detail capture the essence of the medieval setting and the perilous moment, embodying the adventurous and chivalric essence of the Arthurian legends.