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This is an inspiring curation of art for fans of myth, magic and the unreal - from gallery greats (the Surrealists and Symbolists) to artists working in the margins today. A unique and surprising treatment of a popular genre, presenting contemporary masters with those that came before them - this book gives fantasy the recognition it deserves.
List of contents
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
About the author
S. Elizabeth (aka Mlle Ghoul) is a Florida-based writer specialising in art, the macabre and the supernatural. She is a staff writer at Haute Macabre and has written for
Coilhouse,
Dirge and the blog
Death & the Maiden. S. Elizabeth was also the co-creator of
The Occult Activity Book (vol 1 and 2) and runs two successful blogs: Ghoul Next Door (ghoulnextdoor.tumblr.com) and These Unquiet Things (unquietthings.com).
Summary
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.
