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Discover historical illustrations by subject, artist and book.

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Blake’s Book of Urizen

Creation and rebellion in Blake’s illuminated plates.

Nielsen’s East of the Sun

Norwegian fairy tales illustrated by Kay Nielsen.

Gnostic Spirit Drawings

Four colour drawings from a 1908 Gnostic text.

Doré’s Dante

From the dark wood to Paradise with Gustave Doré.

The Kingdom of the Gods

Ethelwynne Quail’s visions of the spirit world.

Vassos’s Phobia

Art Deco studies of fear by John Vassos.

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100 illustrations

A long scaled dragon curves through deeply worked clouds beside part of a bronze structure. — Maker or photographer not identified
A long scaled dragon curves through deeply worked clouds beside part of a bronze structure.
The Chinese Dragon

A solar and lunar pair embraces near a cavern at the water’s edge. — Matthaeus Merian
A solar and lunar pair embraces near a cavern at the water’s edge.
Atalanta Fugiens

A scaled dragon fills a circular field of rounded clouds and fine lines. — Maker or photographer not identified
A scaled dragon fills a circular field of rounded clouds and fine lines.
The Chinese Dragon

A young woman in blue, pink and patterned robes moves above banks of golden clouds. — Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
A young woman in blue, pink and patterned robes moves above banks of golden clouds.
One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

A kneeling traveller and a standing woman face several pale women appearing over clouds. — Gustave Doré
A kneeling traveller and a standing woman face several pale women appearing over clouds.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A large scaled dragon extends its claws among clouds above a band of deeply curved waves. — Maker or photographer not identified
A large scaled dragon extends its claws among clouds above a band of deeply curved waves.
The Chinese Dragon

An orange-robed figure stands above a dragon coiling through mountain clouds. — Evelyn Paul
An orange-robed figure stands above a dragon coiling through mountain clouds.
Myths and Legends of Japan

A haloed figure in orange, blue and green robes stands above small surrounding figures among clouds and rocky slopes. — Evelyn Paul
A haloed figure in orange, blue and green robes stands above small surrounding figures among clouds and rocky slopes.
Myths and Legends of Japan

A pale-robed woman floats above a field of mountain clouds, her long ribbons curling outward through the sky. — Evelyn Paul
A pale-robed woman floats above a field of mountain clouds, her long ribbons curling outward through the sky.
Myths and Legends of Japan

Two rose-coloured clouds on black grounds, one clear pink and the other mixed with dull brown. — Two rose-coloured clouds appear against separate dark panels.
Thought-Forms

A broad inclined stone covered with dragons and cloud forms lies between two stairways. — Maker or photographer not identified
A broad inclined stone covered with dragons and cloud forms lies between two stairways.
The Chinese Dragon

Several scaled dragons interlace across a broad rectangular panel edged with a narrow border. — Maker or photographer not identified
Several scaled dragons interlace across a broad rectangular panel edged with a narrow border.
The Chinese Dragon

A long dragon coils inside a circular field of clouds, waves and repeated ornament. — Maker or photographer not identified
A long dragon coils inside a circular field of clouds, waves and repeated ornament.
The Chinese Dragon

The royal company travels through clouds in the great swan-shaped vehicle Pushpaka, beneath an expansive white canopy. — K. Venkatappa
The royal company travels through clouds in the great swan-shaped vehicle Pushpaka, beneath an expansive white canopy.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

An immense serpent curls above rough water beside a sailing ship beneath moonlit clouds. — Illustrator not identified
An immense serpent curls above rough water beside a sailing ship beneath moonlit clouds.
Monsters of the Sea

A silhouetted figure reaches toward seven cups suspended in clouds, holding different fantastic objects. — Pamela Colman Smith
A silhouetted figure reaches toward seven cups suspended in clouds, holding different fantastic objects.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

An armoured angel strikes at a fallen winged opponent amid armed companions. — Gustave Doré
The central warrior lifts his weapon over an opponent who has dropped low on the clouds.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

An armoured rider charges left with a raised sword, a wind-blown plume and a decorated horse. — Pamela Colman Smith
An armoured rider charges left with a raised sword, a wind-blown plume and a decorated horse.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A standing page grips an upright sword with both hands amid clouds, birds and uneven ground. — Pamela Colman Smith
A standing page grips an upright sword with both hands amid clouds, birds and uneven ground.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

Three swords pierce a heart beneath clouds and slanting rain, without a human figure or landscape. — Pamela Colman Smith
Three swords pierce a heart beneath clouds and slanting rain, without a human figure or landscape.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

Two small figures stand below immense concentric ranks of winged beings surrounding a radiant centre. Clouds form a base beneath the circular assembly. — Gustave Doré
Two small figures stand below immense concentric ranks of winged beings surrounding a radiant centre.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A luminous company descends through clouds towards the foreground, where several draped figures become individually visible. Rays fill the upper distance. — Gustave Doré
A luminous company descends through clouds towards the foreground, where several draped figures become individually visible.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Winged figures gather into a tall cross above clouds, with Dante and Beatrice watching from the lower right. The bright form dominates the pale sky. — Gustave Doré
Winged figures gather into a tall cross above clouds, with Dante and Beatrice watching from the lower right.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Winged figures rise around a luminous upper gathering while a small pair watches from the clouds below. Layered bodies fill nearly the whole field. — Gustave Doré
Winged figures rise around a luminous upper gathering while a small pair watches from the clouds below.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A standing man looks towards a fallen body in a rocky hollow under a turbulent sky. — Gustave Doré
A standing man looks towards a fallen body in a rocky hollow under a turbulent sky.
The Bible Gallery

Lot presses forward with a daughter on either arm while his wife stands alone behind them, looking towards the burning city. — Gustave Doré
Lot presses forward with a daughter on either arm while his wife stands alone behind them, looking towards the burning city.
The Bible Gallery

Angels rise and turn among clouds beneath a smaller heavenly company seated in a bright opening. — Gustave Doré
Angels rise and turn among clouds beneath a smaller heavenly company seated in a bright opening.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A vast winged shape emerges from countless luminous bodies above two small standing observers upon clouds. — Gustave Doré
A vast winged shape emerges from countless luminous bodies above two small standing observers upon clouds.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Three luminous robed figures face two travellers upon a broad bank of cloud. — Gustave Doré
Three luminous robed figures face two travellers upon a broad bank of cloud.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A pale, seated woman rests against a curving field of light above a dark bank of clouds. — Illustrator not identified
A pale, seated woman rests against a curving field of light above a dark bank of clouds.
The Great Book of Magical Art, Hindu Magic and East Indian Occultism

A large robed figure raises one hand while holding a long staff in the other. — Illustrator not identified
A large robed figure raises one hand while holding a long staff in the other.
The Great Book of Magical Art, Hindu Magic and East Indian Occultism

A young warrior raises a weapon above overlapping soldiers, serpentine forms and fallen bodies. — Evelyn Paul
A young warrior raises a weapon above overlapping soldiers, serpentine forms and fallen bodies.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt

Two robed figures sit at a rocky cliff while a pale crescent hangs above the distant sea. — Gustave Doré
Two robed figures sit at a rocky cliff while a pale crescent hangs above the distant sea.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two figures on clouds look toward a third robed figure who raises an arm from a higher cloud. — Gustave Doré
Two figures on clouds look toward a third robed figure who raises an arm from a higher cloud.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A woman stands above a robed traveller on ascending clouds beneath distant ranks of luminous figures. — Gustave Doré
A woman stands above a robed traveller on ascending clouds beneath distant ranks of luminous figures.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two visitors on clouds face a bearded robed speaker beneath faint arcs of heavenly figures. — Gustave Doré
Two visitors on clouds face a bearded robed speaker beneath faint arcs of heavenly figures.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A dark kneeling traveller looks toward winged figures in the clouds beside a standing woman. — Gustave Doré
A dark kneeling traveller looks toward winged figures in the clouds beside a standing woman.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two robed observers stand among clouds while winged figures sing and move above and beside them. — Gustave Doré
Two robed observers stand among clouds while winged figures sing and move above and beside them.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A seated robed traveller gazes at a standing woman surrounded by large pale winged figures. — Gustave Doré
A seated robed traveller gazes at a standing woman surrounded by large pale winged figures.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A vast wind-blown figure strides through a landscape with a small human form visible within his body. — Matthaeus Merian
A vast wind-blown figure strides through a landscape with a small human form visible within his body.
Atalanta Fugiens

Cloud photographs are stacked beside labels for cirrus, cirro-stratus, cumulus and other forms. — H. M. Saunders
Cloud photographs are stacked beside labels for cirrus, cirro-stratus, cumulus and other forms.
Weather Lore: A Collection of Proverbs, Sayings, and Rules Concerning the Weather

A dark winged figure reaches towards a pale fairy floating above mountain slopes. — Warwick Goble
A dark winged figure reaches towards a pale fairy floating above mountain slopes.
The Book of Fairy Poetry

An immense reclining figure rests among clouds beneath a dense canopy of decorative forms. — S. H. Sime
An immense reclining figure rests among clouds beneath a dense canopy of decorative forms.
The Gods of Pegāna

A seated or bending smith occupies a small anvil while an immense dark winged presence spreads over him. — William Blake
A seated or bending smith occupies a small anvil while an immense dark winged presence spreads over him.
Jerusalem: The Emanation of the Giant Albion

A line of robed travellers appears to move through pale clouds above a seated meditator and distant landscape. — Maker or photographer not identified
A line of robed travellers appears to move through pale clouds above a seated meditator and distant landscape.
The Phoenix

A man stands inside an inscribed circle among graves while a pale shrouded figure rises nearby. — Illustrator not identified
A man stands inside an inscribed circle among graves while a pale shrouded figure rises nearby.
The Book of Ceremonial Magic

A goat-like figure emerges amid clouds and flames while a young man stands near a large inscribed circle. — Illustrator not identified
A goat-like figure emerges amid clouds and flames while a young man stands near a large inscribed circle.
The Book of Ceremonial Magic

A white-robed elderly figure appears above a seated courtier on a wooden veranda. — Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
A white-robed elderly figure appears above a seated courtier on a wooden veranda.
One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

48 of 100 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca