Fantasy Book Illustration of 1860-1920

That was one fantastic book.
Here is the 88-image Flickr set of mostly photos from the book, plus a few extra uploads by the featured artists.
Beauty, at this time, was everything. It was the peak of aesthetics, before Dada and Deco, and indeed before the war. Culture was flourishing towards the end of Victoria's reign. Illustration then was influenced by what was around; the Arts & Crafts Movement, the Pre-Raphaelites and the European total style of Art Nouveau, along with the imported Japanese woodcuts of Hiroshige and the like. The natural world and her organic forms drove how the illustrators brought to life the new marvels that were being written about by the likes of Wilde and Carroll. Book illustrations were rich and flowing and magical and full of character. Here are just some of my favourites, and the most prolific gentlemen of the time:



William Heath Robinson While I was aware of his eponymous contraptions, I was delighted to discover that he was accomplished in fantasy and nonsense, having published several books of his own in the genre. I admire his clean lines and charming rendition of characters and objects. Even his more serious work is fun and fresh.


Edward Lear Whimsy and nonsense, its purpose to entertain. Lear had such fun making these poems and drawings, where anything was possible as long as it rhymed. My favourite, and one of the most popular of his works is The Owl & The Pussycat; a nonsense narrative. Laura Logan has rendered the concept in this serene pastelly painting. Using a wide range of media, she illustrates for children in a sweet, colourful, adorable style.


Richard Doyle not only a painter of fairies. His work is full of colour and detail and many magical little characters interacting, but no matter how large the scene, or how fantastical, nothing is out of place, and the overall composition is stunning. While there is distance so that more stuff can be fitted into the elf-lands, the make-believe is made believeable. Also, the subject matter takes me back to a childhood love. :]



Aubrey Beardsley I'm pleasantly surprised to have found some of his work that's not monochrome. Beardsley is renowned, and rightly so, for his use of inked forms and flowing lines, using space and contrast to great effect, but it is interesting to see how he tackles colour, in a similar fashion to his peers; Dulac, Nielsen and Rackham.



Charles Robinson The brother of W. Heath Robinson, I enjoy his style probably because it is similar in richness and magic to that of Dulac.


René Bull Another artist of the time whose work I admire for the same reasons as Charles Robinson, Edmund Dulac and Kay Nielsen.

I might as well mention and link to that marvellous Flickr member finsbry, who collects illustrations of every sort. Their great organisation and massive collections make my life a lot easier. Here are the sets of the work of: Kay Nielsen, Edmund Dulac, Harry Clarke, W. Heath Robinson, Charles Robinson. And all the illustrations from Nielsen's In Powder & Crinoline. And so much more!

always more to add to this post!