Breasts and Beasts: Some Prominent Figures in the History of Fantasy Art

Abstract

"Fantastic art" is, first of all, the eye-catching part of book and magazine covers, sometimes also decorating interior pages. Its announced function is to illustrate the written contents, but its real purpose is to sell the publication by attracting potential buyers first casually—by bright colors and dynamic design—then to the point of active commitment— by the atmosphere and subject matter presented. The popularity of this art form has led to a number of artists being able to go beyond cover pages and book illustrations and create independent artwork, sold to a willing populace. This current state of affairs wasn't always so, however: this art form's beginnings were firmly centred between the pages of fantasy literature.