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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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136 illustrations

A solitary robed traveller stands among towering trunks, exposed roots and dark foliage, turning his face toward a narrow opening in the wood. — Gustave Doré
A solitary robed traveller stands among towering trunks, exposed roots and dark foliage, turning his face toward a narrow opening in the wood.
Dante's Inferno

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

Two small robed figures stand on a rocky height beneath a wide night sky, with uneven ground and distant peaks below. — Gustave Doré
Two small robed figures stand on a rocky height beneath a wide night sky, with uneven ground and distant peaks below.
Dante's Inferno

On the shore a kneeling traveller faces a bearded elder while his companion stands behind him. The open water and pale sky set the three bodies apart. — Gustave Doré
On the shore a kneeling traveller faces a bearded elder while his companion stands behind him.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A winged steersman rises over a close company of pale figures arriving across the water. Two travellers watch from the left, near reeds on the bank. — Gustave Doré
A winged steersman rises over a close company of pale figures arriving across the water.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A seated figure bends his head towards his knees beneath a rocky overhang. Other resting figures gather behind him while two robed travellers approach. — Gustave Doré
A seated figure bends his head towards his knees beneath a rocky overhang.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

An immense eagle carries a cloaked figure through a bright region of cloud. Spread feathers and the traveller’s bent limbs create a diagonal ascent. — Gustave Doré
An immense eagle carries a cloaked figure through a bright region of cloud.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A woman with a spider’s many legs lies amid a rocky scene while the two poets look down. Human limbs and the transformed body crowd the foreground. — Gustave Doré
A woman with a spider’s many legs lies amid a rocky scene while the two poets look down.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Seated and cloaked figures line a narrow ledge against a sheer wall. Dante and Virgil stand among them while the cliff drops into a pale chasm. — Gustave Doré
Seated and cloaked figures line a narrow ledge against a sheer wall.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A lightly draped figure faces two robed travellers amid rolling banks of smoke. A bare rock at the left gives the obscured meeting a small point of stability. — Gustave Doré
A lightly draped figure faces two robed travellers amid rolling banks of smoke.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Three figures move through a dark rocky passage filled with curling smoke. One extends an arm, while the two travellers remain close behind. — Gustave Doré
Three figures move through a dark rocky passage filled with curling smoke.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A kneeling traveller bends towards a prone figure among many bodies stretched along a narrow rocky ledge. His companion stands upright behind him. — Gustave Doré
A kneeling traveller bends towards a prone figure among many bodies stretched along a narrow rocky ledge.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two standing poets step carefully through a dense company of figures lying face down. The ledge recedes beside a steep, dark drop. — Gustave Doré
Two standing poets step carefully through a dense company of figures lying face down.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

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

Three robed travellers stand on a rocky edge beside curling flames. Pale figures gather within the fire at the left. — Gustave Doré
Three robed travellers stand on a rocky edge beside curling flames.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A long-haired woman leans into a stream beside reeds and a wooded bank, holding the traveller beneath the water. The broad current occupies the foreground. — Gustave Doré
A long-haired woman leans into a stream beside reeds and a wooded bank, holding the traveller beneath the water.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A traveller bends down beside the stream while a seated guide and a group of women watch within a wooded clearing. Another figure waits farther back. — Gustave Doré
A traveller bends down beside the stream while a seated guide and a group of women watch within a wooded clearing.
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

Two great circular companies of winged figures surround two small observers on a cloud. The upper ring encloses a bright opening above their heads. — Gustave Doré
Two great circular companies of winged figures surround two small observers on a cloud.
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

Several sweeping ranks of winged figures curve across the sky around two distant observers. The nearest company raises arms and wings in a broad arc. — Gustave Doré
Several sweeping ranks of winged figures curve across the sky around two distant observers.
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 crowned woman sits with joined hands on a cloud beneath countless angelic heads. Two observers below look towards her across a company of winged figures. — Gustave Doré
A crowned woman sits with joined hands on a cloud beneath countless angelic heads.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two robed travellers stand below a steep ledge where a long company of pale figures gathers. — Gustave Doré
Two robed travellers stand below a steep ledge where a long company of pale figures gathers.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two travellers scramble among immense angular rocks beneath a pale sky. — Gustave Doré
Two travellers scramble among immense angular rocks beneath a pale sky.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

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 woman stands facing a robed traveller within a quiet stand of tall, slender trees. — Gustave Doré
A woman stands facing a robed traveller within a quiet stand of tall, slender trees.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A company gathers in a flowered woodland hollow while two robed travellers watch from the side. — Gustave Doré
A company gathers in a flowered woodland hollow while two robed travellers watch from the side.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A radiant winged figure sits before an arched doorway high in a rock wall. — Gustave Doré
A radiant winged figure sits before an arched doorway high in a rock wall.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A kneeling woman raises her arms before a mounted ruler and an assembled company carrying standards and weapons. — Gustave Doré
A kneeling woman raises her arms before a mounted ruler and an assembled company carrying standards and weapons.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A robed traveller bends towards a man carrying an immense stone upon his back. — Gustave Doré
A robed traveller bends towards a man carrying an immense stone upon his back.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Seated figures huddle along the foot of a towering rock wall while two travellers move among them. — Gustave Doré
Seated figures huddle along the foot of a towering rock wall while two travellers move among them.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A group of robed figures approaches along a narrow ledge beneath a dark sky. — Gustave Doré
A group of robed figures approaches along a narrow ledge beneath a dark sky.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two travellers stand within a steep rocky opening while a pale winged figure rises beyond them. — Gustave Doré
Two travellers stand within a steep rocky opening while a pale winged figure rises beyond them.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Thin, lightly clothed figures gather around two standing travellers upon a rocky shelf. — Gustave Doré
Thin, lightly clothed figures gather around two standing travellers upon a rocky shelf.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A company of small figures gathers beneath a tall branching tree while the two travellers stand at the edge of the woodland scene. — Gustave Doré
A company of small figures gathers beneath a tall branching tree while the two travellers stand at the edge of the woodland scene.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Several bodies rise or turn within a narrow curling fire, with a robed traveller standing nearby in the dark rocky setting. — Gustave Doré
Several bodies rise or turn within a narrow curling fire, with a robed traveller standing nearby in the dark rocky setting.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A young woman bends among flowers beside a slender tree, holding a small gathering of blossoms. — Gustave Doré
A young woman bends among flowers beside a slender tree, holding a small gathering of blossoms.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A long line of robed figures passes beside dark trees and low water, their bodies lit against the shadowed wood. — Gustave Doré
A long line of robed figures passes beside dark trees and low water, their bodies lit against the shadowed wood.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Three draped women stand close together at the edge of a shallow woodland stream. — Gustave Doré
Three draped women stand close together at the edge of a shallow woodland stream.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

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

A shining ascent crowded with luminous figures rises through immense banks of cloud. — Gustave Doré
A shining ascent crowded with luminous figures rises through immense banks of cloud.
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

Dante in Profile

Gustave Doré

A laurel-crowned portrait shows Dante in profile, his long head covering and layered robes outlined against a dark background.

Dante's Inferno

A spotted cat crouches between rocks while Dante draws back on the higher ground; a distant landscape opens beyond the obstruction. — Gustave Doré
A spotted cat crouches between rocks while Dante draws back on the higher ground; a distant landscape opens beyond the obstruction.
Dante's Inferno

A lion occupies a rocky passage beneath a small opening of pale sky, its head raised toward the traveller's route. — Gustave Doré
A lion occupies a rocky passage beneath a small opening of pale sky, its head raised toward the traveller's route.
Dante's Inferno

Two robed figures stand close together under spreading branches, with a pale strip of distant sky visible beyond them. — Gustave Doré
Two robed figures stand close together under spreading branches, with a pale strip of distant sky visible beyond them.
Dante's Inferno

Two small travellers proceed into a deep wooded corridor between rough trunks and pale exposed roots. — Gustave Doré
Two small travellers proceed into a deep wooded corridor between rough trunks and pale exposed roots.
Dante's Inferno

48 of 136 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca