The artwork titled “The Son made a circle, and his Father and he took their places within it, and the little black Mannikin appeared” is a creation by the artist Arthur Rackham. This illustration belongs to the Art Nouveau (Modern) movement and forms part of the genre of illustration. It is included in the series “Snowdrop & Other Tales” by the Brothers Grimm.
The artwork portrays a scene in which a young boy and his father are seated within a circular formation on the ground. The son, positioned at the forefront, directs his gaze outward while the father faces away, sitting back to back with his son. The environs exhibit a sense of unease, with a twisted and gnarled tree casting shadows in the backdrop. To the left side of the composition, a small, humanoid figure with exaggerated features—the “little black Mannikin”—approaches them with outstretched arms, adding an element of fantastical intrigue. The artist employs a detailed and somewhat dark color palette to bring out the ethereal and mysterious atmosphere characteristic of Grimm’s tales.