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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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152 illustrations

A richly dressed young woman looks down towards a pool enclosed by slender trees. — Kay Nielsen
A richly dressed young woman looks down towards a pool enclosed by slender trees.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon

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

An armoured monkey hero lifts a long red staff across an immense pale moon. — Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
An armoured monkey hero lifts a long red staff across an immense pale moon.
One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

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

Tall trunks fill the narrow image with closely repeated vertical lines. — Kay Nielsen
Tall trunks fill the narrow image with closely repeated vertical lines.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Storm-driven water and ghostly warriors surround the boat carrying Yoshitsune and his companion Benkei. — Evelyn Paul
Storm-driven water and ghostly warriors surround the boat carrying Yoshitsune and his companion Benkei.
Myths and Legends of Japan

A radiant sun shines above a crowned lion, a woman with a flowering branch and a crowned figure. — A radiant sun shines above a crowned lion, a child and a robed figure carrying a flowering branch, beside a fire-headed companion.
Alchemy: Ancient and Modern

Uzume dances before the cave where Ama-terasu has hidden, drawing laughter from the gathered gods. — Evelyn Paul
Uzume dances before the cave where Ama-terasu has hidden, drawing laughter from the gathered gods.
Myths and Legends of Japan

Two sailors watch a dim red disc on the horizon from the deck of their sloop. — John A. Williams
Olaf and his father notice a persistent dull-red light ahead of their sloop and first take it for a mock sun or mirage.
The Smoky God

A man raises a sword above a heavy chain disappearing into an opening in the floor. — Henry Justice Ford
A man raises a sword above a heavy chain disappearing into an opening in the floor.
The Yellow Fairy Book

Two unclothed figures stand beneath a large winged presence and a radiating sun. — Pamela Colman Smith
Two unclothed figures stand beneath a large winged presence and a radiating sun.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A violet spear-shaped form edged in yellow above a luminous golden sphere, on two black panels. — A pointed violet form edged with yellow rises above a radiant golden sphere in this paired plate.
Thought-Forms

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 lightly dressed traveller steps near a rocky edge, holding a flower and a staff with a small bundle. — Pamela Colman Smith
A lightly dressed traveller steps near a rocky edge, holding a flower and a staff with a small bundle.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

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

A queen faces forward between lion armrests, holding a sunflower and a staff, with a black cat below. — Pamela Colman Smith
A queen faces forward between lion armrests, holding a sunflower and a staff, with a black cat below.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

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

An altar and smoking vessel stand on a chequered floor between three tall candles. — Illustrator not identified
An altar with a geometric design and smoking vessel stands on a chequered floor between three tall candles.
Morals and Dogma

A two-headed figure labelled REBIS stands on a dragon above a winged globe containing geometric lines. — Illustrator not identified
A two-headed figure labelled REBIS stands on a dragon above a winged globe containing geometric lines.
Morals and Dogma

Small figures and vessels radiate along four arms within a curved enclosing border. — Illustrator not identified
Small figures and vessels radiate along four arms within a curved enclosing border.
Migration of Symbols

A broad roof shelters an elevated open-sided temple beyond a quiet courtyard and low wall. — Photographer not identified
A broad roof shelters an elevated open-sided temple beyond a quiet courtyard and low wall.
The Sun and the Serpent

A dark standing image occupies a narrow doorway framed by carved borders and small surrounding figures. — Photographer not identified
A dark standing image occupies a narrow doorway framed by carved borders and small surrounding figures.
The Sun and the Serpent

Low stone remains and a small carved figure occupy a shaded rocky site beneath overhanging trees. — Photographer not identified
Low stone remains and a small carved figure occupy a shaded rocky site beneath overhanging trees.
The Sun and the Serpent

A steep conical roof rises over a small round temple with an open lower arcade. — Photographer not identified
A steep conical roof rises over a small round temple with an open lower arcade.
The Sun and the Serpent

A small deity figure stands beneath a fan of seven raised serpent heads, holding attributes close to the body. — Photographer not identified
A small deity figure stands beneath a fan of seven raised serpent heads, holding attributes close to the body.
The Sun and the Serpent

A row of narrow upright memorial stones rises in differing heights, each filled with small carved figures or inscriptions. — Photographer not identified
A row of narrow upright memorial stones rises in differing heights, each filled with small carved figures or inscriptions.
The Sun and the Serpent

Two people stand closely together before the doorway of a wooden building. — Photographer not identified
Two people stand closely together before the doorway of a wooden building.
The Sun and the Serpent

A standing man faces the camera before a dark entrance, with several people seated beside and behind him. — Photographer not identified
A standing man faces the camera before a dark entrance, with several people seated beside and behind him.
The Sun and the Serpent

Carved pillars and figured stone panels border a dark doorway reached by a shallow step. — Photographer not identified
Carved pillars and figured stone panels border a dark doorway reached by a shallow step.
The Sun and the Serpent

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 seated royal figure appears beneath a radiating disc on a broken-topped slab. — Artist not recorded
A seated royal figure appears beneath a radiating disc on a broken-topped slab.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt

A frontal female figure holds her hands near the chest beneath a broad disc framed by long curved horns. — Artist not recorded
A frontal female figure holds her hands near the chest beneath a broad disc framed by long curved horns.
Myths and Legends of Ancient Egypt

Planetary names divide an open palm into labelled regions. — Illustrator not identified
Planetary names divide an open palm into labelled regions.
Cheiro’s Language of the Hand

Two crowned, robed figures join hands beneath an elevated rose and star. — Illustrator not identified
Two crowned, robed figures join hands beneath an elevated rose and star.
The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz

A standing male figure raises one arm within a pointed starburst while the other arm extends outward. — Anna Kingsford
A standing male figure raises one arm within a pointed starburst while the other arm extends outward.
Clothed with the Sun: The Book of the Illuminations of Anna Kingsford

Two simplified human forms appear above circular diagrams marked C and D, with dots and rays indicating their internal arrangements. — Illustrator not identified
Two simplified human forms appear above circular diagrams marked C and D, with dots and rays indicating their internal arrangements.
Clothed with the Sun: The Book of the Illuminations of Anna Kingsford

A turbaned man in an embroidered coat faces the viewer within an Egyptian-style border. — Illustrator not identified
A turbaned man in an embroidered coat faces the viewer within an Egyptian-style border.
Crystal-Gazing and Spiritual Clairvoyance

A sun occupies the centre of a circular arrangement of signs and compartments. — Illustrator not identified
A sun occupies the centre of a circular arrangement of signs and compartments.
Earthology

Three approaching figures face a large solar disc set upon an altar before a seated deity beneath an arched shrine. — Illustrator not identified
Three approaching figures face a large solar disc set upon an altar before a seated deity beneath an arched shrine.
God, the Bible, Truth and Christian Theology

A large concentric pentacle bears Alpha et Omega at its centre beneath a heading naming the Sun and Sunday. — Illustrator not identified
A large concentric pentacle bears Alpha et Omega at its centre beneath a heading naming the Sun and Sunday.
Raphael's Ancient Manuscript of Talismanic Magic

A small triangle occupies the centre of a great circular sunburst. — Illustrator not identified
A small triangle occupies the centre of a great circular sunburst.
The Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses

A robed observer looks skyward through an instrument on a terrace furnished with globes and astronomical apparatus. — Illustrator not identified
A robed observer looks skyward through an instrument on a terrace furnished with globes and astronomical apparatus.
The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

Planetary orbits surround a central Sun within a rectangular dark field. — Illustrator not identified
Planetary orbits surround a central Sun within a rectangular dark field.
The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

Several dark sunspot groups interrupt a densely stippled circular surface. — Illustrator not identified
Several dark sunspot groups interrupt a densely stippled circular surface.
The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

Numerous bright streaks cross a dark sky above a low horizon. — Illustrator not identified
Numerous bright streaks cross a dark sky above a low horizon.
The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

A dark circular disc is surrounded by a brilliant irregular corona. — Illustrator not identified
A dark circular disc is surrounded by a brilliant irregular corona.
The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

Several elongated paths cross one another around a small central solar region. — Illustrator not identified
Several elongated paths cross one another around a small central solar region.
The Story of the Sun, Moon, and Stars

48 of 152 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca