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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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161 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 woman in a green dress stands with a crowned man beside a dark pool beneath overhanging trees. — Edmund Dulac
Two women stand at the edge of a dark pool enclosed by pale stonework and flowering trees.
The Stealers of Light

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 pale-robed woman stands among slender trees with deer gathered around her. — Warwick Goble
A pale-robed woman stands among slender trees with deer gathered around her.
The Book of Fairy Poetry

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

Seven serpentine heads extend across a garden towards a group of small human figures. — Henry Justice Ford
Seven serpentine heads extend across a garden towards a group of small human figures.
The Yellow Fairy Book

Elephants move through a sunlit forest, one enormous animal dominating the foreground. — John A. Williams
During their tour of the inner continent, the travellers encounter a vast herd of elephants tearing branches from giant trees.
The Smoky God

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

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

Two richly dressed women sit in a wooded clearing while a plainly dressed attendant stands behind them. — Henry Justice Ford
Two richly dressed women sit in a wooded clearing while a plainly dressed attendant stands behind them.
The Yellow Fairy Book

Rama sits beneath trees and extends a small ring towards the standing Hanuman. — K. Venkatappa
Rama sits beneath trees and extends a small ring towards the standing Hanuman.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

Venkatappa concentrates the building of the bridge into a scene of consultation on the rocky shore. — K. Venkatappa
Venkatappa concentrates the building of the bridge into a scene of consultation on the rocky shore.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

Mazumdar draws Radha and Krishna close together beneath the dark shelter of trees. — Khitindra Nath Mazumdar
Mazumdar draws Radha and Krishna close together beneath the dark shelter of trees.
Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists

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

Adam and Eve look towards a bright winged visitor in a shaded woodland. — Gustave Doré
The visitor appears as a bright figure beyond the shaded foreground, while the human pair turn towards the approaching shape.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

Adam and Eve stand and sit among roots while an angel waits in the distance. — Gustave Doré
The human figures remain close to the great roots, while the angel waits farther along the dark route through the trees.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

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 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 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 figure raises an arm towards a pale winged visitor above a rocky ledge, surrounded by heavy trees and a narrow opening of sky. — Gustave Doré
A kneeling figure raises an arm towards a pale winged visitor above a rocky ledge, surrounded by heavy trees and a narrow opening of sky.
The Bible Gallery

Several men sleep upon dark ground beneath trees while a solitary upright figure remains visible in a brighter opening further within the garden. — Gustave Doré
Several men sleep upon dark ground beneath trees while a solitary upright figure remains visible in a brighter opening further within the garden.
The Bible Gallery

Metal plates, projecting ornaments and small pendants crowd a photographed arrangement of horse harness. — Illustrator not identified
Metal plates, projecting ornaments and small pendants crowd a photographed arrangement of horse harness.
The Evil Eye

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 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

An Irish round tower rises beside a path and trees in one panel; the other encloses a frontal crowned figure within an oval. — Illustrator not identified
An Irish round tower rises beside a path and trees in one panel; the other encloses a frontal crowned figure within an oval.
Ancient Symbol Worship: Influence of the Phallic Idea in the Religions of Antiquity

A woman holding a tall water vessel faces a kneeling elder beside stone steps. — Gustave Doré
A woman holding a tall water vessel faces a kneeling elder beside stone steps.
The Bible Gallery

A small winged figure climbs a dark wooded height while water, plains and cloud spread far beyond it. — Gustave Doré
A small winged figure climbs a dark wooded height while water, plains and cloud spread far beyond it.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A winged figure sits upon a rocky shelf under a densely worked canopy, overlooking a small standing person deeper in the wood. — Gustave Doré
A winged figure sits upon a rocky shelf under a densely worked canopy, overlooking a small standing person deeper in the wood.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A serpent coils beside a large foreground trunk within a dense avenue of trees. — Gustave Doré
A serpent coils beside a large foreground trunk within a dense avenue of trees.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

A luminous procession of winged figures crosses a high ridge while two human bodies bend low upon the foreground rock. — Gustave Doré
A luminous procession of winged figures crosses a high ridge while two human bodies bend low upon the foreground rock.
Paradise Lost: Illustrated by Gustave Doré

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 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

A crowned rider reaches towards the neck of a pale horse as cloud-like forms gather around the animal's legs. — Abanindro Nath Tagore
A crowned rider reaches towards the neck of a pale horse as cloud-like forms gather around the animal's 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

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

Bird-bodied creatures with human faces perch among twisted trunks and tangled branches, surrounding two small travellers on the ground below. — Gustave Doré
Bird-bodied creatures with human faces perch among twisted trunks and tangled branches, surrounding two small travellers on the ground below.
Dante's Inferno

Two robed travellers stand above a shore beneath trees and a brightening sky. — Gustave Doré
Two robed travellers stand above a shore beneath trees and a brightening sky.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two travellers stand before a scattered gathering of figures beneath a steep wooded cliff. — Gustave Doré
Two travellers stand before a scattered gathering of figures beneath a steep wooded cliff.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Pine trees cling to rocky slopes around a deep, mist-filled mountain valley. — Illustrator not identified
Pine trees cling to rocky slopes around a deep, mist-filled mountain valley.
The Masters and the Path

A kneeling figure faces a standing robed man while a second traveller waits behind them. — Gustave Doré
A kneeling figure faces a standing robed man while a second traveller waits behind them.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

Two travellers walk beneath dense trees beside a stream, with a fallen trunk crossing the foreground. — Gustave Doré
Two travellers walk beneath dense trees beside a stream, with a fallen trunk crossing the foreground.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A seated woman and a large standing man occupy a woodland vehicle surrounded by horned animal heads. — Gustave Doré
A seated woman and a large standing man occupy a woodland vehicle surrounded by horned animal heads.
Purgatory and Paradise: The Vision of Dante

A crowned, many-armed Indra sits on an elaborately dressed elephant beneath spreading trees. — Illustrator not identified
A crowned, many-armed Indra sits on an elaborately dressed elephant beneath spreading trees.
The Occult Review, Volume VII

Several figures gather around a tilted, inscribed circle in a wooded landscape. — Illustrator not identified
Several figures gather around a tilted, inscribed circle in a wooded landscape.
The Old Book of Magic

A green-clad young woman reaches towards a plainly dressed traveller on a woodland path. — Warwick Goble
A green-clad young woman reaches towards a plainly dressed traveller on a woodland path.
The Book of Fairy Poetry

A fair-haired child in a pale ruffled costume sits in a small upholstered chair with gilded curves. — Robert Halls
A fair-haired child in a pale ruffled costume sits in a small upholstered chair with gilded curves.
Children's Books and Their Illustrators

A child sleeps beneath patterned covers in a garden-like setting of trees and small flowers. — Mary J. Newill
A child sleeps beneath patterned covers in a garden-like setting of trees and small flowers.
Children's Books and Their Illustrators

48 of 161 shown

Gallery: Historical Illustrations & Book Art | Lumitheca