Featuring 300 exquisite paintings and engravings that reveal the mysterious beauty of nineteenth century Dark Romanticism, Symbolism, and Pre-Raphaelitism, this lavish volume highlights the era’s fascination with the spiritual, the macabre, and the sublime.
Authored by Alix Paré, known for her acclaimed work on Gustave Doré, the book invites readers to experience the otherworldly imagination of celebrated and lesser-known artists who sought to capture the liminal spaces between reality and fantasy.
Divided into 7 thematic chapters Luna (moon), Carmina (charms), Maleficia (witchcraft), Genii (fairies), Phantasmata (ghosts), Angeli(angels), and Daemones (demons)—it pairs breathtaking artwork with insightful commentary that illuminates the themes, symbols, and esoteric traditions woven into these haunting works.
A glossary of 40 terms further clarifies the arcane concepts and spiritual influences at play. The sumptuous package includes gold-embossed cover and spine, decorative belly band, and sprayed edges inscribed with the title. Ideal for art lovers, mystics, and anyone captivated by the uncanny, it offers an unprecedented journey into the supernatural visions of the nineteenth century.
About the Author
ALIX PARÉ is a lecturer specialising in Western painting from the seventeenth to the twentieth century. She worked at the Musée du Louvre and the Château de Versailles. Paré is the author of several very successful books, including The Fantastic Gustave Doré, which was published by Prestel.
PHILIPPE BAUDOUIN is philosopher, media historian and author of numerous books on the history of spiritualism.
