Mystical Beasts: The Library of Esoterica by Jessica Hundley (Hardback)

Dragons, mermaids, centaurs and more — the seventh and final volume of TASCHEN’s acclaimed Library of Esoterica celebrates the divine creatures of mythology and modern fantasy, and completes the collectable series.

Through essays, interviews and over 400 works of contemporary and historic art, Mystical Beasts offers an expansive global bestiary, gathering the wondrous and the monstrous from across cultures and centuries. From the fire-breathing dragon to the song of the mermaid, the noble centaur to countless creatures besides, the book explores the deep and enduring connection between humans and the wild animal realms — the ways we have imagined, feared, revered and mythologised the beasts that prowl the edges of our stories.

Beautifully produced and richly illustrated, it traces how these creatures have haunted our art and our imaginations from the ancient world to the present day, standing in for our wonder, our dread and our longing to make sense of the untamed. As the closing volume in the series, it’s both a treasure in its own right and the final piece for anyone collecting the Library of Esoterica.

Perfect for readers who love mythical creatures and folklore, fantasy art and global mythology, the strange and the wondrous — and anyone after a beautiful, museum-grade volume to complete the set.