Eschatus: Future Prophecies from Nostradamus' Ancient Writings

by Bruce Pennington

The book is a visual interpretation of many of the prophecies of Nostradamus. Bruce Pennington is its deviser. Unlike most interpretations (which rely on dead events, seeking clues in Nostradamus not to the future but to the past), Bruce Pennington's theme is entirely the future, the history that lies silently in wait for us like a lion in the grass.

Genres: Art

78 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1976

About the author

Bruce Pennington (born 10 May 1944 in Somerset) is a British painter, perhaps best known for his science fiction and fantasy novel cover art. Pennington's works have largely featured on the covers of novels of the likes of Isaac Asimov, Clark Ashton Smith and Robert A. Heinlein, adopting both science fiction and fantastical themes.

Pennington's works are largely characterised by bold, daring colours; rich pinks and blues sustaining his continuing motifs of speculation as well as precise brush strokes, harmonious pigment blending as well as the acute concentration in the detail of his depicted subjects, usually landscapes of other times or worlds.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pennington takes selections from the Prophecies of Nostradamus, sequencing then into a rough narrative of the rise of a fascist Antichrist and the end of days, magnificently illustrated in his inimitable fashion to create a febrile vision of the apocalypse.

The book is a beautiful, album-sized collection of artworks, often taking the form of surreal visions reminiscent of St John's Book of Revelations. Symbolic, oblique, by turns nightmarish and dreamlike.

[Jeremy Citazen Serwer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most haunting and Beautiful Artwork from my childhood. So glad I stumbled upon it again. These images are burned into my brain and I spent many an hour gazing upon them.

[Chris Healey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dramatic & evocative art visualising the prophecies of Nostradamus & the Bible. The prophecies are printed alongside the paintings but the connection isn’t always obvious & a list of interpretations at the end isn’t particularly helpful either. Beautiful book to own though, conveys the ominous & cryptic idea of Nostradamus’ prophecies very well.

[TheoneandonlyKaneda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat disappointed. Pennington has created absolutely magnificent art, and the cover image of this book speaks volumes to that.
Some other painting have a strange lack of detail though, as if they are unfinished, incomplete, rushed to meet a deadline.

The creativity is over the top, and when Pennington paints with great care and detail, the canvases are majestically filled. I wonder if some of the panels were really small paintings (like icons) that were scaled too much?

Still a beautiful book. But other Pennington art books are more recommended.