Art of Fantasy - (Art in the Margins) by S Elizabeth (Hardcover)

About the Book

"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" --

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"The exploration of fantasy landscapes in the book's last section is particularly compelling and stylistically diverse. Foreboding alien invasions, apocalyptic castles and whimsical aircraft remind us just how unlimited our imaginations can be."

--Bookpage

"This is an excellent publication for those who run with the creatures of our dreams and play in the wonderlands of our imaginations."

--San Francisco Book Review

"The Art of Fantasy is an absolute winner, a beautiful curation of fantastic art which brings together the mythical and modern, the beautiful and the scary, and the revelatory with the damning...I can't wait to see what S. Elizabeth brings us next!"--Juli Witte, A Universe In Words

"A wondrous treasure trove of fantastical images throughout the ages."--Pam Grossman, author of Waking the Witch

"Profusely illustrated with museum quality, full color artwork, The Art of Fantasy: A Visual Sourcebook of All That is Unreal is an impressively informative and truly inspiring collection."--Midwest Book Review

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).