The New York Public Library recently added a ton of children’s book illustrations from the last couple centuries to their digital archive. The entire collection includes over a thousand images, ranging from classic fairy tales like Cinderella, Pinocchio, and Little Red Riding Hood to classic adventure books like Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. It’s absolutely worth taking some time to browse the images, but if you don’t have that much free time, here are ten beautiful images for you!

 

“Sailing ship in heavy sea,” illustration in Robinson Crusoe by N.C. Wyeth, 1920.

 

“The valley of diamonds,” illustration in Arabian Nights by Maxfield Parrish, 1907.

 

“The troll was quite willing, and before long he fell asleep and began snoring,” illustration in The Three Princesses in the Blue Mountain by Kay Rasmus Nielsen, 1914.

 

“Solomon commands the spirits of the world to submit to his will,” illustration in Arabian Nights by Edmund Dulac, 1913.

 

“Vivien and Merlin repose,” illustration from a collection of Arthurian Romances, by Gustave Doré in 1868.

 

“The step-mother bringeth mischief upon the young queen by sundry magic spells,” illustration in The Wonder Clock by Howard Pyle, 1915.

 

“Beauty escorted by apes and monkeys as pages,” illustration in Beauty and the Beast by Walter Crane, 1896.

 

“At last he turned to her and said, “Am I so very ugly?”,” illustration in Beauty and the Beast by Walter Crane, 1896.

 

“Now Cinderella, here’s your coach to take you to the ball,” illustration in Cinderella by Walter Crane.

 

“Durochka shows the Tzar her apple on the silver plate,” illustration in The Soul of Russia by Howard Martin Otto Travers, 1916.

 

All images via the New York Public Library.

Featured image via the New York Public Library.