Elves' Abode

Otto Eugene Hake

Hake probably found this copse of trees in Ravine Park in Lake Bluff, Illinois. The park has an attractive system of nature trails that offer a refuge for nature in the densely inhabited suburbs of Chicago. Many artists living in Chicago at the turn of the twentieth century retreated in nature looking for inspiration and restoration after a week of commercial work or other labors that dulled their minds and spirits. In his block print, Hake’s enchantment with the natural beauty of the forested landscape dappled in light is expressed in his chosen title. Certainly in folklore, elves, fairies, and leprechauns lived in kingdoms in forests, meadows, or hollowed-out tree trunks.