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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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198 illustrations

A pale world map carries modern continental outlines together with larger red boundaries. — Artist not recorded
A pale world map carries modern continental outlines together with larger red boundaries.
The Story of Atlantis and The Lost Lemuria

Tiny winged beings and small animals gather beneath a twisted tree. — Warwick Goble
Tiny winged beings and small animals gather beneath a twisted tree.
The Book of Fairy Poetry

A white-bearded figure crouches beneath a rocky arch in Blake's illuminated painting. — William Blake
A white-bearded figure folds its knees beneath an overhanging rock, the narrow shelter pressing closely around its back.
The Book of Urizen

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

A small red fishing sloop pitches beside a breaking wave beneath a dark, snow-filled sky. — John A. Williams
A fierce snowstorm drives Olaf Jansen and his father northward among the icebergs, threatening to capsize their fishing sloop.
The Smoky God

Two small travellers stand before a towering robed ruler seated on an ornate throne. — John A. Williams
Olaf and his father are received by the Great High Priest, ruler of the inner continent, in a hall described as gold and jewels.
The Smoky God

A small sailing boat approaches towering walls of ice beneath an overhanging iceberg. — John A. Williams
On the attempted return through the southern opening of Emerson's inner world, Olaf's father warns of an immense white obstruction ahead.
The Smoky God

A young man bends forward and empties a sack towards the flames at the foot of a tree. — Henry Justice Ford
A young man bends forward and empties a sack towards the flames at the foot of a tree.
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

Garuda combines a powerful human-shaped body with a bird’s beak and extravagantly patterned wings. — Nanda Lal Bose
Garuda combines a powerful human-shaped body with a bird’s beak and extravagantly patterned wings.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

A draped figure stands within an oval wreath, holding a short wand in each hand. — Pamela Colman Smith
A draped figure stands within an oval wreath, holding a short wand in each hand.
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 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

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

Coloured land outlines and fine grid lines cover a world map labelled Ruta and Daitya. — Artist not recorded
Coloured land outlines and fine grid lines cover a world map labelled Ruta and Daitya.
The Story of Atlantis and The Lost Lemuria

A wide world map combines shaded land areas, a latitude-longitude grid and the heading Atlantis at Its Prime. — Artist not recorded
A wide world map combines shaded land areas, a latitude-longitude grid and the heading Atlantis at Its Prime.
The Story of Atlantis and The Lost Lemuria

Broad tinted land masses extend across an evenly ruled world map. — Artist not recorded
Broad tinted land masses extend across an evenly ruled world map.
The Story of Atlantis and The Lost Lemuria

Red outlines cross the Pacific and neighbouring regions over a gridded world map. — Artist not recorded
Red outlines cross the Pacific and neighbouring regions over a gridded world map.
The Story of Atlantis and The Lost Lemuria

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

Seven circular emblems branch from a central stem among planetary and metal labels. — Illustrator not identified
Seven circular emblems branch from a central stem, each joining a different image or geometric design with a planetary or metal label.
The History of Magic

A young robed figure stands beside water and great stone structures, with other bodies receding behind him. — Gustave Doré
A young robed figure stands beside water and great stone structures, with other bodies receding behind him.
The Bible Gallery

A mother and child rest low in a stable while an elderly man and visiting figures gather around them. — Gustave Doré
A mother and child rest low in a stable while an elderly man and visiting figures gather around them.
The Bible Gallery

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

Streaks of light cut across a dense dark sky above crowded buildings and a turbulent foreground. — Illustrator not identified
Streaks of light cut across a dense dark sky above crowded buildings and a turbulent foreground.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

People and animals struggle among deep openings and fractured blocks of earth below a distant hill. — Illustrator not identified
People and animals struggle among deep openings and fractured blocks of earth below a distant hill.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

A great plume spreads from a volcanic cone beneath angular streaks of lightning. — Illustrator not identified
A great plume spreads from a volcanic cone beneath angular streaks of lightning.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

A proposed island occupies the central Atlantic between the surrounding continents. — Illustrator not identified
A proposed island occupies the central Atlantic between the surrounding continents.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

Long bands of stepped geometric masonry cover a ruined facade above low openings and encroaching vegetation. — Illustrator not identified
Long bands of stepped geometric masonry cover a ruined facade above low openings and encroaching vegetation.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

A rounded vessel with a broad open rim is covered in narrow bands of repeated geometric ornament. — Illustrator not identified
A rounded vessel with a broad open rim is covered in narrow bands of repeated geometric ornament.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

A labelled group includes an Irish mould for casting bronze celts, a sickle, a chisel, small rings, a cauldron and a vessel. — Illustrator not identified
A labelled group includes an Irish mould for casting bronze celts, a sickle, a chisel, small rings, a cauldron and a vessel.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

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

Horizontal courses of dressed stone narrow above a small doorway to create a tall pointed opening, partly blocked by rubble. — Illustrator not identified
Horizontal courses of dressed stone narrow above a small doorway to create a tall pointed opening, partly blocked by rubble.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

A dark rounded vessel has two loop handles, a small lid and a modelled face beneath its narrow neck. — Illustrator not identified
A dark rounded vessel has two loop handles, a small lid and a modelled face beneath its narrow neck.
Atlantis: The Antediluvian World

Torrents descend between immense rock faces beneath radiating light. — Gustave Doré
Torrents descend between immense rock faces beneath radiating light.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

Birds, grazing animals and small creatures inhabit a lush valley beneath an opening of bright cloud. — Gustave Doré
Birds, grazing animals and small creatures inhabit a lush valley beneath an opening of bright cloud.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A wooded rock formation rises above a stream beneath a low evening light. — Gustave Doré
A wooded rock formation rises above a stream beneath a low evening light.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

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 seated Shiva lifts a small dark vessel to his mouth while his other hand rests across his folded legs. — Nanda Lal Bose
A seated Shiva lifts a small dark vessel to his mouth while his other hand rests across his folded legs.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

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

The two travellers stand beside seated and reclining figures under trees, with pale ground separating the group from the deeper shade. — Gustave Doré
The two travellers stand beside seated and reclining figures under trees, with pale ground separating the group from the deeper shade.
Dante's Inferno

A seated man with a moustache holds an open book beside a globe and hanging leaves. — Illustrator not identified
A seated man with a moustache holds an open book beside a globe and hanging leaves.
Metaphysical Astrology (Astrosophia)

A crowd of bare figures twists among coiling serpents beneath a steep bank watched by the two travellers. — Gustave Doré
A crowd of bare figures twists among coiling serpents beneath a steep bank watched by the two travellers.
Dante's Inferno

A colossal winged figure rises behind the two small travellers, with exposed bodies embedded in the foreground ice. — Gustave Doré
A colossal winged figure rises behind the two small travellers, with exposed bodies embedded in the foreground ice.
Dante's Inferno

An ornamental cross occupies the centre of a wheel encircled by letters, numbers and smaller signs. — Illustrator not identified
An ornamental cross occupies the centre of a wheel encircled by letters, numbers and smaller signs.
The Influence of the Stars: A Book of Old World Lore

The Earth sits at the centre of twelve radial compartments, with zodiac signs around the outer circle. — Illustrator not identified
The Earth sits at the centre of twelve radial compartments, with zodiac signs around the outer circle.
The Influence of the Stars: A Book of Old World Lore

48 of 198 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca