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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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78 illustrations

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

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 long-haired woman pauses beside a young man sleeping beneath a tree. — Henry Justice Ford
A long-haired woman pauses beside a young man sleeping beneath a tree.
The Yellow Fairy Book

A standing figure raises a long implement toward a crowned figure seated on a throne. — A standing figure points a sword towards a crowned ruler seated on a throne.
Alchemy: Ancient and Modern

Three vertical columns of geometric and calligraphic magical characters. — Twenty-seven numbered signs move from lines and letter-like forms to fire, water, animals and bodily emblems.
The Book of Black Magic and of Pacts

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

A great lettered wheel occupies the centre between winged creatures positioned at the corners. — Pamela Colman Smith
A great lettered wheel occupies the centre between winged creatures positioned at the corners.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A crowned seated figure holds an upright sword and a small balance between two pillars. — Pamela Colman Smith
A crowned seated figure holds an upright sword and a small balance between two pillars.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A crowned king faces forward on a carved throne, holding an upright sword against a yellow sky. — Pamela Colman Smith
A crowned king faces forward on a carved throne, holding an upright sword against a yellow sky.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

Queen of Swords

Pamela Colman Smith

A crowned queen sits in profile with one hand extended and an upright sword beside her patterned throne.

The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

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

Ten upright swords pierce a prone figure beneath a dark sky and a lighter horizon. — Pamela Colman Smith
Ten upright swords pierce a prone figure beneath a dark sky and a lighter horizon.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A figure sits upright in bed with hands covering the face beneath nine horizontal swords. — Pamela Colman Smith
A figure sits upright in bed with hands covering the face beneath nine horizontal swords.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A blindfolded, bound figure stands among eight planted swords on wet ground with distant buildings. — Pamela Colman Smith
A blindfolded, bound figure stands among eight planted swords on wet ground with distant buildings.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A figure carries five swords away while two remain planted beside a distant camp. — Pamela Colman Smith
A figure carries five swords away while two remain planted beside a distant camp.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A ferryman poles a boat carrying two seated passengers and six upright swords toward a distant shore. — Pamela Colman Smith
A ferryman poles a boat carrying two seated passengers and six upright swords toward a distant shore.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A foreground figure gathers swords while two other figures turn away across a windswept field. — Pamela Colman Smith
A foreground figure gathers swords while two other figures turn away across a windswept field.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A praying knight's effigy lies on a tomb beneath three hanging swords, with a fourth along the base. — Pamela Colman Smith
A praying knight's effigy lies on a tomb beneath three hanging swords, with a fourth along the base.
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

A blindfolded seated figure holds two crossed swords before a rocky sea beneath a crescent moon. — Pamela Colman Smith
A blindfolded seated figure holds two crossed swords before a rocky sea beneath a crescent moon.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

A hand emerges from a cloud holding an upright sword through a crown with hanging foliage above mountains. — Pamela Colman Smith
A hand emerges from a cloud holding an upright sword through a crown with hanging foliage above mountains.
The Illustrated Key to the Tarot: The Veil of Divination

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

An elaborate lamp carries a triangular crown of flames and branching side lights above a decorated base. A sword and a long pointed rod flank it, with crescent forms near their lower ends. A star and linked signs ornament the central vessel. — Artist not recorded
An elaborate lamp carries a triangular crown of flames and branching side lights above a decorated base.
Transcendental Magic

A young man with a sword turns towards a woman holding a hanging vessel. — Harry Clarke
A young man with a sword turns towards a woman holding a hanging vessel.
Faust

A sword-bearing angel stands in a break of dazzling light while two human figures bend away beneath the trees. — Gustave Doré
A sword-bearing angel stands in a break of dazzling light while two human figures bend away beneath the trees.
The Bible Gallery

A young officer in a peaked cap and belted tunic stands with one hand at his sword. — Illustrator not identified
A young officer in a peaked cap and belted tunic stands with one hand at his sword.
A Subaltern in Spirit Land: A Sequel to Gone West

Four long swords with differing handles are arranged beside a broad chipped stone blade. — Illustrator not identified
Four long swords with differing handles are arranged beside a broad chipped stone blade.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

Saul lies on the ground beside a pale, rearing horse, one hand gripping the upright hilt of a sword at his body. — Gustave Doré
Saul lies on the ground beside a pale, rearing horse, one hand gripping the upright hilt of a sword at his body.
The Bible Gallery

Severely wounded figures occupy the rocky foreground beneath a sword-bearing executioner as the travellers observe from nearby. — Gustave Doré
Severely wounded figures occupy the rocky foreground beneath a sword-bearing executioner as the travellers observe from nearby.
Dante's Inferno

An armed figure stands beside a great egg resting on a low platform. — Matthaeus Merian
An armed figure stands beside a great egg resting on a low platform.
Atalanta Fugiens

A knight raises his sword before a vast dark winged creature. — W. T. Horton
A knight raises his sword before a vast dark winged creature.
A Book of Images

A frontal armoured figure holds an upright sword with both hands beneath dark wings. — W. T. Horton
A frontal armoured figure holds an upright sword with both hands beneath dark wings.
A Book of Images

A crowned warrior stands on an ornate pedestal with a raised sword and a large inscribed shield. — Illustrator not identified
A crowned warrior stands on an ornate pedestal with a raised sword and a large inscribed shield.
Splendor Solis

A dark-haired man holds a long sword above a pale body whose limbs and head lie apart. — Illustrator not identified
A dark-haired man holds a long sword above a pale body whose limbs and head lie apart.
Splendor Solis

Several haloed figures stand closely together above a bowed armoured man. — S. H. Sime
Several haloed figures stand closely together above a bowed armoured man.
The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories

An armoured warrior strides forward with a great sword while a broad banner streams above him. — S. H. Sime
An armoured warrior strides forward with a great sword while a broad banner streams above him.
The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories

A slender crowned figure stands beneath two immense dark wings with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. — Boris Artzybasheff
A slender crowned figure stands beneath two immense dark wings with a sword in one hand and a shield in the other.
The Undertaker's Garland

Two richly dressed figures grapple with drawn swords beneath a snow-covered pine. — Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Two richly dressed figures grapple with drawn swords beneath a snow-covered pine.
One Hundred Aspects of the Moon

A long dark figure stands above two pale children enclosed by curling lines and feather-like patterns. — Willy Pogány
A long dark figure stands above two pale children enclosed by curling lines and feather-like patterns.
The Tale of Lohengrin

Two armoured warriors confront one another with raised swords and broad shields. — Willy Pogány
Two armoured warriors confront one another with raised swords and broad shields.
The Tale of Lohengrin

A kneeling armoured man holds a long sword while a pale woman bends beside him. — Willy Pogány
A kneeling armoured man holds a long sword while a pale woman bends beside him.
The Tale of Lohengrin

A tall dark figure spreads great feathered wings while holding a long sword vertically. — Willy Pogány
A tall dark figure spreads great feathered wings while holding a long sword vertically.
The Tale of Lohengrin

Gold curves and star-shaped settings surround a large oval blue sapphire with a pale central star. — Photographer not identified
Gold curves and star-shaped settings surround a large oval blue sapphire with a pale central star.
The Magic of Jewels and Charms

A skull with radiating ornament lies between two hourglasses above the epilogue verse. — Illustrator not identified
A skull with radiating ornament lies between two hourglasses above the epilogue verse.
The Crucible of Dreams

A bowed ruler sits on a richly decorated throne within a palace crowded with towers and hanging forms. — S. H. Sime
A bowed ruler sits on a richly decorated throne within a palace crowded with towers and hanging forms.
The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories

A pale robed figure stands beneath suspended lamps and elaborate architectural forms. — S. H. Sime
A pale robed figure stands beneath suspended lamps and elaborate architectural forms.
The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories

A dark human figure hangs in chains high above the ground. — S. H. Sime
A dark human figure hangs in chains high above the ground.
The Sword of Welleran and Other Stories

48 of 78 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca