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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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51 illustrations

An arrangement of crosses, circular emblems, keys and other black ceremonial signs. — Eight numbered designs combine Tau signs, a Chi-Rho emblem, a barred double door, a sword and smaller circular forms.
The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts

A young child rides a pale horse beneath an immense sun with a human face. — Pamela Colman Smith
A child rides a pale horse beneath an immense sun with a human face.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A winged figure struggles among steep rocks and a turbulent void. — Gustave Doré
The figure’s limbs and wings work against a landscape that offers no stable road.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

Four dark panels contain blue curved forms with red trails, green triangles, blue crosses and a blue ring around a red centre. — Artist not recorded
Four dark panels contain blue curved forms with red trails, green triangles, blue crosses and a blue ring around a red centre.
Thought-Forms

A circular design encloses a triangle, three small rings, crosses and a central sign. A skull, horns, a flame and two small candles appear around its boundary. Names curve around the outside, with a two-line identifying caption below. — Artist not recorded
A circular design encloses a triangle, three small rings, crosses and a central sign.
Transcendental Magic

Letters and small circular signs surround a cross within a ruled geometric design. — Artist not recorded
Letters and small circular signs surround a cross within a ruled geometric design.
The Solar Logos

A long ruled design with small crosses appears above several lines of mixed letters and words. — Artist not recorded
A long ruled design with small crosses appears above several lines of mixed letters and words.
Egyptian Secrets

An oval diagram arranges the seven root races around a horizontal sequence of numbered positions. — Illustrator not identified
An oval path crosses horizontal levels numbered through seven root races.
Sons of the Fire-Mist: A Study of Man

Rows of round devices contain curls, triangles, crosses and repeated hooked marks. — Illustrator not identified
Rows of round devices contain curls, triangles, crosses and repeated hooked marks.
Migration of Symbols

Three crosses stand above a clustered company beneath a deeply clouded sky, with kneeling bodies and raised heads gathered below. — Gustave Doré
Three crosses stand above a clustered company beneath a deeply clouded sky, with kneeling bodies and raised heads gathered below.
The Bible Gallery

Three dark crosses rise against a changing sky while a scattered crowd turns, kneels and moves across the rough ground below them. — Gustave Doré
Three dark crosses rise against a changing sky while a scattered crowd turns, kneels and moves across the rough ground below them.
The Bible Gallery

An upright figure crosses its arms beneath a tall crown flanked by projecting forms. — Artist not recorded
An upright figure crosses its arms beneath a tall crown flanked by projecting forms.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt

A low enclosure crosses a wooded slope beneath a tall upright post, with a distant mountain visible through the trees. — Photographer not identified
A low enclosure crosses a wooded slope beneath a tall upright post, with a distant mountain visible through the trees.
The Sun and the Serpent

A woman holding an infant rides a donkey led by a man with a staff. — Gustave Doré
A woman holding an infant rides a donkey led by a man with a staff.
The Bible Gallery

Crosses, rings, inscribed bands and small pendants share a numbered page. — William Thomas Pavitt (signed illustration)
Crosses, rings, inscribed bands and small pendants share a numbered page.
The Book of Talismans, Amulets and Zodiacal Gems

A luminous procession of winged figures crosses a high ridge while two human bodies bend low upon the foreground rock. — Gustave Doré
A luminous procession of winged figures crosses a high ridge while two human bodies bend low upon the foreground rock.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A recumbent armoured body lies beside surging water beneath a black storm front. — Gustave Doré
A recumbent armoured body lies beside surging water beneath a black storm front.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A tall male figure and a pale-robed woman raise their arms among curling red and dark forms. — Evelyn Paul
A tall male figure and a pale-robed woman raise their arms among curling red and dark forms.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt

Twenty-four numbered circular seals occupy six rows of four compartments. — Illustrator not identified
Twenty-four numbered circular seals occupy six rows of four compartments.
The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia

Twenty-four circular seals continue the numbered sequence across a regular six-by-four grid. — Illustrator not identified
Twenty-four circular seals continue the numbered sequence across a regular six-by-four grid.
The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia

Twenty-four round seals complete the main sequence of seventy-two spirits in the Goetia. — Illustrator not identified
Twenty-four round seals complete the main sequence of seventy-two spirits in the Goetia.
The Lesser Key of Solomon: Goetia

A long serpent crosses a blue band at the foot of the page, carrying small figures along its curving body. — William Blake
A long serpent crosses a blue band at the foot of the page, carrying small figures along its curving body.
The Book of Thel

A bird with a long curving neck stands within a pale crowned vessel set in a formal niche. — Illustrator not identified
A bird with a long curving neck stands within a pale crowned vessel set in a formal niche.
Splendor Solis

Four circular designs are marked with Saturn’s planetary sign. — Illustrator not identified
Four circular designs are marked with Saturn’s planetary sign.
The Key of Solomon the King

A large dark crucifix occupies the centre of four lighter crosses with figures, lettering and decorative surfaces. — Illustrator not identified
A large dark crucifix occupies the centre of four lighter crosses with figures, lettering and decorative surfaces.
Amulets and Superstitions

Bands of letters, crosses and numerals surround a narrow central table of numbers. — Maker or photographer not identified
Bands of letters, crosses and numerals surround a narrow central table of numbers.
The Phoenix

A collection of crosses, monograms and small inscribed designs occupies the page. — Illustrator not identified
A collection of crosses, monograms and small inscribed designs occupies the page.
The Book of Ceremonial Magic

Rows of circular seals enclose crosses, letters and small geometric signs. — Illustrator not identified
Rows of circular seals enclose crosses, letters and small geometric signs.
The Book of Ceremonial Magic

An inscribed circular boundary encloses a triangle, two candles and a small burning vessel. — Illustrator not identified
An inscribed circular boundary encloses a triangle, two candles and a small burning vessel.
The Book of Ceremonial Magic

Rows of compact symbols are paired with names of metals, salts, liquids and laboratory processes. — Illustrator not identified
Rows of compact symbols are paired with names of metals, salts, liquids and laboratory processes.
The Philosophy of Natural Magic

Rows of four-petalled flowers, crosses, wheels and hooked designs fill a narrow plate. — Illustrator not identified
Rows of four-petalled flowers, crosses, wheels and hooked designs fill a narrow plate.
Lemuria—The Lost Continent of the Pacific

A cloaked rider crosses a dark slope with hair and fabric streaming behind. — Willy Pogány
A cloaked rider crosses a dark slope with hair and fabric streaming behind.
The Tale of Lohengrin

A long diagonal bridge crosses a pale lake above three drawings of strange flowering plants. — Hélène Smith (source drawings)
A long diagonal bridge crosses a pale lake above three drawings of strange flowering plants.
From India to the Planet Mars

Rows of drawn marks combine circles, crosses, stars, scales and simple geometric devices. — Illustrator not identified
Circles, crosses, stars and balances share the numbered field of Plate I, headed as drawn from manuscripts.
Francis Bacon and His Secret Society

Open hands appear among crosses, birds, hearts and other small drawn signs. — Illustrator not identified
Open hands recur across Plate III among crosses, birds, hearts and crowned shields.
Francis Bacon and His Secret Society

Small crown forms surround an oval medallion containing a standing figure. — Illustrator not identified
Crown-like forms surround a large oval medallion with a standing figure in Plate VII.
Francis Bacon and His Secret Society

A dark zigzag passage crosses a sloping band of hieroglyphs above standing gods and a solar boat. — Illustrator not identified
A dark zigzag passage crosses a sloping band of hieroglyphs above standing gods and a solar boat.
The Egyptian Heaven and Hell

A seated man in a dark coat remains relatively still amid an active field of winged monsters, distorted faces and curling bodies. — Illustrator not identified
A seated man in a dark coat remains relatively still amid an active field of winged monsters, distorted faces and curling bodies.
Magica Sexualis

A wide-sleeved ceremonial garment carries a great central sacred assembly surrounded by small crosses and additional figures. — Illustrator not identified
A wide-sleeved ceremonial garment carries a great central sacred assembly surrounded by small crosses and additional figures.
Needlework as Art

A winged Saint Michael raises a long weapon while pressing a foot upon a fallen adversary. — Guido Reni (painting); Anderson
A winged Saint Michael raises a long weapon while pressing a foot upon a fallen adversary.
Sun Lore of All Ages: A Collection of Myths and Legends Concerning the Sun and Its Worship

A procession of attendants crosses a narrow bridge above dark water and round pale stones. — Mackenzie (as credited on the title page)
A procession of attendants crosses a narrow bridge above dark water and round pale stones.
Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp in Rhyme

A long airborne figure crosses a dark star-filled sky with arms extended. — Ben Kutcher
A long airborne figure crosses a dark star-filled sky with arms extended.
A House of Pomegranates

A fine route line crosses a broad map of mountains, settlements and borders. — Map maker not identified
A fine route line crosses a broad map of mountains, settlements and borders.
Beasts, Men and Gods

A small boat crosses the foreground below a hill crowned by an elaborate palace. — Hélène Smith (as attributed in the source)
A small boat crosses the foreground below a hill crowned by an elaborate palace.
From India to the Planet Mars: A Study of a Case of Somnambulism with Glossolalia

Rows of triangles, crosses, circles, letter-like strokes and other signs cover the comparison plate. — Illustrator not identified
Rows of triangles, crosses, circles, letter-like strokes and other signs cover the comparison plate.
The Gnostics and Their Remains, Ancient and Mediaeval

Two pale-faced women advance through a rounded dark opening, one carrying a glowing lantern. — Warwick Goble
Two pale-faced women advance through a rounded dark opening, one carrying a glowing lantern.
Green Willow and Other Japanese Fairy Tales

A woman with tightly curled hair wears a high-necked pale dress and looks slightly to one side. — Photographer not identified
A woman with tightly curled hair wears a high-necked pale dress and looks slightly to one side.
Shadow Land

A line of marching figures and several mounted riders crosses a broad town street lined with spectators. — Photographer not identified
A line of marching figures and several mounted riders crosses a broad town street lined with spectators.
Mount Sinai Temple: Nobles of the Mystic Shrine

48 of 51 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca