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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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212 illustrations

A young woman stands at a decorated doorway beneath a bright round moon. — Kay Nielsen
A young woman stands at a decorated doorway beneath a bright round moon.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Two small figures hurry across an ornate bridge suspended above a pale landscape. — Kay Nielsen
Two small figures hurry across an ornate bridge suspended above a pale landscape.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon

A kneeling woman pours water from two vessels, one into a pool and one upon the ground. — Pamela Colman Smith
A kneeling woman pours water from two vessels, one into a pool and one upon the ground.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

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

Hoori meets the sea god's daughter in a realm beneath the water. — Evelyn Paul
Hoori meets the sea god's daughter in a realm beneath the water.
Myths and Legends of Japan

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 richly dressed women sit beside a brook absorbed in a game of go, while a misty figure watches from the background. — Evelyn Paul
Two richly dressed women sit beside a brook absorbed in a game of go, while a misty figure watches from the background.
Myths and Legends of Japan

A young woman raises one hand between a wild-haired flying figure and a crouching prince. — Henry Justice Ford
A young woman raises one hand between a wild-haired flying figure and a crouching prince.
The Yellow Fairy Book

A crowned woman sits beside a shield carrying the sign of Venus while grain and foliage fill the foreground. — Pamela Colman Smith
A crowned woman sits beside a shield carrying the sign of Venus while grain and foliage fill the foreground.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A crowned religious figure sits between two pillars, raising one hand above two kneeling attendants. — Pamela Colman Smith
A crowned religious figure sits between two pillars, raising one hand above two kneeling attendants.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

An immense eagle spreads its wings above a mountainous landscape and distant towers. — Henry Justice Ford
An immense eagle spreads its wings above a mountainous landscape and distant towers.
The Yellow Fairy Book

A woman bends towards a lion beneath an infinity sign, her hands placed near its open mouth. — Pamela Colman Smith
A woman bends towards a lion beneath an infinity sign, her hands placed near its open mouth.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A line of pilgrims climbs diagonally across a rocky slope beneath a pale sky. — Illustrator not identified
A line of pilgrims climbs diagonally across a rocky slope beneath a pale sky.
Occult Japan; or, The Way of the Gods

The kneeling archer meets a divine couple in a landscape pared down to curving ground, pale rock and sparse flowering branches. — Nanda Lal Bose
The kneeling archer meets a divine couple in a landscape pared down to curving ground, pale rock and sparse flowering branches.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

An armoured rider on a rearing horse carries a leafy wand across a sparse landscape with pyramidal hills. — Pamela Colman Smith
An armoured rider on a rearing horse carries a leafy wand across a sparse landscape with pyramidal hills.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

Two men watch a distant woman crossing a rough mountainous landscape. — T. H. Thomas
Two men watch a distant woman crossing a rough mountainous landscape.
British Goblins

A wreath-crowned rider on a pale horse carries a staff topped by a laurel ring, accompanied by other wand-bearers. — Pamela Colman Smith
A wreath-crowned rider on a pale horse carries a staff topped by a laurel ring, accompanied by other wand-bearers.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A cloaked figure on a battlement holds a globe, with two staffs and a rose-and-lily emblem nearby. — Pamela Colman Smith
A cloaked figure on a battlement holds a globe, with two staffs and a rose-and-lily emblem nearby.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A hand extends from a curling cloud to hold a branching staff above a landscape with a distant building. — Pamela Colman Smith
A hand extends from a curling cloud to hold a branching staff above a landscape with a distant building.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A crowd gathers outside a building around a coffin on a bier. — Artist not recorded
A crowd gathers outside a building around a coffin on a bier.
British Goblins

A winged figure stands above a burning landscape beside a seated companion. — Gustave Doré
The upright rebel dominates a landscape of flame and broken rock, while a second figure remains lower beside him.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

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

A bat-winged figure descends towards a distant round world through rays of light. — Gustave Doré
The dark wings cut across a luminous atmosphere, directing the eye towards the world beneath them.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A winged figure watches a lush garden from a shaded height among great trees. — Gustave Doré
The winged observer stands at the right beneath spreading branches, looking towards the garden below.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

Two figures sit near a stream within a wooded garden. — Gustave Doré
The two bodies rest within a landscape of water and foliage, making the garden a lived place rather than an empty emblem.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

Large reptiles occupy a shore beneath a cloud-filled sky and distant birds. — Gustave Doré
The foreground reptiles lie close to the water, their heavy bodies contrasting with the small birds in the sky.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A standing man and a reclining woman grieve beneath immense tree trunks. — Gustave Doré
The two figures are separated by posture: one stands with arms raised towards his head, while the other leans back beside the roots.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

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

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

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

An armoured knight displays a pentacle while seated on a dark horse before a low open landscape. — Pamela Colman Smith
An armoured knight displays a pentacle while seated on a dark horse before a low open landscape.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A youthful figure raises a pentacle in both hands above a flowered field with distant trees and mountains. — Pamela Colman Smith
A youthful figure raises a pentacle in both hands above a flowered field with distant trees and mountains.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

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 long-haired figure bends beside a candle taller than the small people gathered around its stand. — Harry Clarke
A long-haired figure bends beside a candle taller than the small people gathered around its stand.
Faust

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

An armed company gathers across a rocky height while a commanding figure points towards the distant sky. — Gustave Doré
An armed company gathers across a rocky height while a commanding figure points towards the distant sky.
The Bible Gallery

Reapers turn from their gathered crop towards a cart carrying a great carved chest, with cattle standing close beside it. — Gustave Doré
Reapers turn from their gathered crop towards a cart carrying a great carved chest, with cattle standing close beside it.
The Bible Gallery

A small group stands near a great dark rock above figures gathered at a distance across the valley. — Gustave Doré
A small group stands near a great dark rock above figures gathered at a distance across the valley.
The Bible Gallery

A dense circular emblem combines figures, animals and geometric divisions in a single symbolic wheel. — Illustrator not identified
A divided circular wheel combines human and animal forms, small internal emblems and surrounding inscriptions.
The History of Magic

A hooded figure sits on a broad stone ledge above an open landscape, with a staff beside the lowered hands. — Gustave Doré
A hooded figure sits on a broad stone ledge above an open landscape, with a staff beside the lowered hands.
The Bible Gallery

Scales hang within a decorated arch above an open landscape. — Illustrator not identified
Scales hang within a decorated arch above an open landscape.
Morals and Dogma

A richly dressed rider points across a crowded landscape while armed attendants follow behind. — Illustrator not identified
A richly dressed rider points across a crowded landscape while armed attendants follow behind.
The Origin of Freemasonry and Knights Templar

Three travellers ride camels above a distant line of companions, beneath a sky whose small bright star commands their attention. — Gustave Doré
Three travellers ride camels above a distant line of companions, beneath a sky whose small bright star commands their attention.
The Bible Gallery

A speaker sits high among trees and rocks, with listeners gathered closely below him and further figures receding into the landscape. — Gustave Doré
A speaker sits high among trees and rocks, with listeners gathered closely below him and further figures receding into the landscape.
The Bible Gallery

A kneeling man extends his arms towards a standing robed figure, while an attendant holds him and a circle of onlookers remains nearby. — Gustave Doré
A kneeling man extends his arms towards a standing robed figure, while an attendant holds him and a circle of onlookers remains nearby.
The Bible Gallery

A group moves beside standing grain while two men address a central robed figure at close range, with palms and distant buildings beyond. — Gustave Doré
A group moves beside standing grain while two men address a central robed figure at close range, with palms and distant buildings beyond.
The Bible Gallery

48 of 212 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca