Art of Fantasy

This beautiful, fully illustrated book presents a compendium of artworks throughout history which have been inspired by myth, fantasy and the unreal.

Artists have explored imaginary worlds and fantastical creatures for centuries, expressing the unreal and impossible, the mystical and mythical, via the medium of paint.

But what draws them to the imaginary, the uncharted and the unknown? Is it merely an escape from reality? Or are they seeking a greater understanding of the human experience, or perhaps the very meaning of life itself? With myriad styles and methods of expression, what links artists through the ages? And how have these visual flights of fancy and imagination changed over the course of time?
The Art of Fantasy is a visual sourcebook of all that is fantastical – from fine art to illustration, and from surrealists and symbolists to the creatives working in undefined territories. While the artists in our history books (Blake, Goya, Dali, Magritte, Ernst) first brought fantasy art to the galleries, it was the twentieth century artists who brought it to the masses. It is in this book that, for the first time, they are united and equally weighted, presenting a mesmerising and thoughtful curation of the best fantasy artwork out there.
This is an inspiring collection for fans of myth, magic, fantasy and art history.

Introduction
PART ONE
Beasts & Beings
I. Creatures Great & Small
II. Almost Human
III. Impossible Monsters
PART TWO
Quest for Knowledge
IV. In Our Dreams
V. Magic is Real
VI. Faith & Philosophy
PART THREE
Worlds Apart
VII. Forgotten Realms & Wonderlands
VIII. Time Travel, Alternate Histories & Parallel Universes
IX. How to Save the World
Further reading
Index
Picture credits
Acknowledgements