Beasts of myth and legend, writhing foliage, dancing symbols of fate — this spectacular compendium of 15th- and 18th-century designs features 127 black-and-white illustrations from the far corners of the imagination.

Dancing beasts of myth and legend, thick foliage that appears to live and breathe, reclining figures engulfed by symbols of fate — this spectacular compendium of 15th- and 18th-century decorative elements offers up a dizzying array of designs steeped in fantasy. A marvel of history and art! 127 black-and-white illustrations.

Freshly rendered and richly detailed, the 129 designs in this collection depict cherubs, mythological animals, human faces and figures, floral and foliated designs, and many other items, all derived authentic sources.

This gallery of stunning architectural accents from Italy's Middle Ages has been assembled from a rare early-20th-century publication. Grotesques from carved panels of choir stalls, tombstone and ceiling ornaments, pierced stone balcony panels, and more, are reproduced in 60 richly detailed illustrations. A modestly priced treasury of authentic Renaissance style.

These royalty-free motifs feature exquisite specimens of the sculptured ornaments from northern Europe's largest medieval cathedral. York Cathedral features soaring Gothic architecture and a vast interior, parts of which date back to the 13th century. Reproduced from a rare 18th-century volume, this compilation consists of 175 illustrations, selected from throughout the building.

Swirling with gargoyles, devils, dragons, griffins, and other haunting figures, this otherworldly assortment features illustrations from a rare 19th-century volume: cartouches, frames, doors, trophies, cabinets, friezes, and much more.

This classic sourcebook of decorative motifs contains 100 plates of royalty-free Gothic designs, meticulously reproduced from rare 19th-century engravings. Many are floral and foliate designs rendered from panels, capitals, borders, brackets, friezes, grotesques, and other decorative elements from such architectural landmarks as New College Chapel at Oxford and Rouen Cathedral.

Engraved in the 19th century, these flamboyant ornamental designs are based on a wide variety of historical examples, dating back as far as the 1500s and including images by Watteau and Dürer.

This lavish archive of exquisite engravings and designs--originally created in the mid-nineteenth century for the professional artist and architect--contains some 200 splendid illustrations, expertly adapted from decorative as well as utilitarian features of medieval cathedrals, churches, tombs, houses, shops, public buildings, and other structures. Encompassing a wide variety of styles, the designs include finely detailed panels, gawking gargoyles, marvelously carved pillars and pedestals, exquisite ironwork patterns, decorative stonework, magnificent stained glass windows, moldings enhanced with intricately woven motifs, and much more. Artists, designers, and craftworkers will find wide use for these versatile, royalty-free illustrations. Students of architecture, art historians, and lovers of ornamental art will delight in the pure beauty of this magnificent collection.

Graphic artists, illustrators, and craftspeople will welcome this treasury of beautifully engraved ornate frames, scrollwork, and other highly decorative designs — 800 in all — reproduced from an extremely rare mid-19th-century style book. Comprising 142 plates, the volume features a lavish assortment of ornaments, bedecked with flowers, mythological creatures, and other fanciful touches, all beautifully rendered in meticulous detail. Other striking designs incorporate a rich selection of classical columns, plus heraldic designs — shields, coats-of-arms, seals, and insignias from Austria, Russia, Denmark, France, and many other countries — for a touch of medieval flair or aristocratic ambience. In addition, this collection offers a variety of charming calligraphic alphabets in styles ranging from plain to majestic. An invaluable source of inspiration and a treasury of designs for permission-free use, these distinctive images are ideal for enhancing such print projects as ads, brochures, newsletters, posters, signs, catalog copy, and much more.