Faeries by Brian Froud & Alan Lee: A Field Guide to the Mythic Realm

First published in 1978, Faeries is a landmark illustrated book by British artists Brian Froud and Alan Lee that redefined the visual portrayal of the mythical world . Conceived by publisher Ian Ballantine as a follow-up to the successful Gnomes, the book is presented as a scholarly field guide to the denizens of Faerieland . Froud and Lee spent nine months researching folklore on Dartmoor, England, drawing from Celtic stories, oral traditions, and the works of poets like Yeats to create a comprehensive and immersive compendium .

The book’s title, spelled in an archaic fashion, refers not just to pretty, winged fairies but to a wide range of mythological creatures . It catalogs everything from elves, goblins, and pixies to leprechauns, dwarves, boggarts, and banshees . It explores their history, customs, habitat, and even offers advice on where to find them and how to ward off their spells . This grounded, almost academic approach to its subject matter gives the book its unique charm.

Illustrated with 185 paintings and drawings—147 in full color—the artwork is the book’s enduring heart . Lee’s contributions are known for their ethereal realism and landscape-oriented watercolors, while Froud’s work is characterized by more grotesque, character-driven sketches full of personality . The artists drew inspiration from Arthur Rackham, the Pre-Raphaelites, and Hieronymus Bosch, resulting in images that are both beautiful and unsettling . This was a deliberate departure from the “fluffy” depictions of fairies; Froud noted their research was based on the “green horrible creatures with nasty teeth” of actual folklore . A massive commercial success, Faeries reached number four on the New York Times Best Seller list and has sold over five million copies, cementing its status as a fantasy classic