Visual artwork draws readers into imaginative realms, ignites curiosity and allows stories to transcend the boundaries between text and image–further transforming complex narratives and fantastical worlds into accessible experiences for all. 

We invite you to embark on a visually breathtaking journey through more than a century of imaginative art in Icons of the Fantastic: Illustrations of Imaginative Literature from the Korshak Collection. This two-gallery exhibition, presented across the University of Delaware’s Mechanical Hall Gallery and the West Gallery in Old College, showcases 80 original works of art by 50 celebrated illustrators whose visionary work helped shape the genres of science fiction, fantasy and adventure; and celebrates the groundbreaking legacy of Erle Korshak and Shasta Publishers in fantasy and science fiction worlds. 

From the spellbinding covers of Amazing Stories, Weird Tales and the Tarzan novels to rare masterpieces that defined the visual language of beloved classics such as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and the Lord of the Rings, Icons of the Fantastic was thoughtfully curated from the Korshak Collection to explore the evolution and enduring power of illustrated storytelling and inspire generations of readers and artists while seamlessly bridging literary expression and visual artistry. 

The Korshak Collection has been carefully assembled over many years by Stephen Korshak, whose passion was ignited by the legendary art that filled his childhood home, and the home he currently shares with his wife, Alma Korshak. We invite you to immerse yourself fully into the collection and experience the lasting impact of illustrated literature: a legacy of wonder and boundless imagination. 

The exhibition is accompanied by the catalogue Icons of the Fantastic: Illustrations of Imaginative Literature from the Korshak Collection, published by the University of Delaware Press and co-edited by David M. Brinley and Amanda T. Zehnder. The catalogue features nearly 200 images of artwork by pioneering artists spanning over 160 years of published science fiction and fantasy, accompanied by essays on renowned illustrators like Aubrey Beardsley as well as understudied artists. Contributions include a foreword by filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, a preface by bestselling author Kevin J. Anderson and an introduction by Pulitzer Prize-winning critic Michael Dirda.