Published by Paper Tiger in 1983 and reissued in 1985, Mirage is a collaboration of the fantasy paintings of Boris Vallejo, alongside poetry by his first wife, Doris Vallejo.
 
Inside are beautiful goddesses, muscular warriors, monsters and barbarians, all set against strange landscapes and dreamlike fantasy worlds. His paintings have that unmistakable ’70s and ’80s sword-and-sorcery look, but with a much heavier emphasis on the erotic. Everything is exaggerated, glossy and completely over the top.
 
Vallejo was born in Peru and moved to the United States in 1964, going on to become one of the best-known fantasy illustrators of the era. His paintings appeared on countless science fiction and fantasy book covers, with his work even making its way into music, with Vallejo creating the artwork for Ozzy Osbourne’s 1986 album The Ultimate Sin.
 
Mirage is a great example of the kind of fantasy art that defined the era – unapologetically dramatic, wildly sensual and very much interested in the human body as part of the fantasy itself. A beautiful, slightly surreal time capsule of Boris Vallejo at his most extravagant.