Products | Book projects to celebrate World Book Day

The Last Guest, Tess Little, (2021). Image: Plunge Pool, Caroline Walker 2015 © Caroline Walker. All rights reserved, DACS/Artimage 2022

At DACS we are proud to have worked on numerous book projects over the years, licensing art works for the covers of titles from classic literature and art books through to contemporary fiction and children’s picture books.

Here is a selection of titles we’re proud to have worked on over the last few years.

The Last Guest by Tess Little

This thrilling murder mystery by Tess Little set in the glamorous Hollywood Hills features a brooding work Plunge Pool by Artimage painter Caroline Walker, known for her works of intimate scenes depicting anonymous women that blur the boundaries between public and private.

Ulysses by James Joyce

Legendary pop artist Richard Hamilton was so fascinated by James Joyce’s literary classic Ulysses that he sought to create the definitive illustrative series for this notoriously challenging book. It made perfect sense then for Hamilton’s work The Transmogrifications of Bloom to cover the second edition of the book for Oxford University Press’ world classics.

Ulysses (Oxford World’s Classics), James Joyce, 2008. First published 1922.
Image: detail from The Transmogrifications of Bloom, 1984-5, by Richard Hamilton © Richard Hamilton 1993. All rights reserved, DACS

Conversations with Friends by Sally Rooney

Irish author Sally Rooney is considered the ultimate millennial author, with her first two novels becoming so popular they have both been adapted for television. We helped Faber & Faber license a work by American artist  Alex Katz for the cover of her first book Conversations with Friends.

Conversations with Friends, Sally Rooney, 2018.
Image: Sharon and Vivien, Alex Katz, 2009 © Alex Katz/Licensed by DACS

The Strangers in The House by Rene Magritte

This atmospheric and existential work by renowned Belgian author Georges Simenon features a work by surrealist Rene Magritte. Magritte’s work The Empire of Light depicts a paradoxical image of both a night backdrop against a light sky, perfectly reflecting the novel’s complex mystery.

The Strangers in the House, Georges Simenon, 2021. First published 1940. Image: L’empire des lumières, Rene Magritte, 1961. © Rene Magritte/Licensed by DACS

Photography - A Feminist History by Emma Lewis

This Tate publication charts how photography has borne witness to women's movements and increased their visibility, and how feminist thought has allowed us to read these images differently. We helped Tate license works by photographers  Maud Suter and Tish Murtha for use in the book.

Photography A Feminist History, Emma Lewis, 2021. Photography by JEB (Joan E. Biren) Courtesy of Ilex Press/Tate

Chanel No 5 by Pauline Dreyfus

When we think of perfume, Chanel No 5 is perhaps the most iconic name. So legendary is it that Thames & Hudson published a book exploring the scent’s enduring influence and history. We worked with the publisher to licence images to bring the story of the perfume to life.

Chanel No 5, Pauline Dreyfus, 2021. Courtesy of Thames & Hudson

What Artists Wear by Charlie Porter

We are used to exploring what artists make, but what about what they wear? This is the question Charlie Porter pondered with his 2021 book What Artists Wear, from Yves Klein's spotless tailoring to the kaleidoscopic costumes of Yayoi Kusama. We were pleased to work with Penguin to provide licences for the images showcasing the signature style and practice of the artists' featured. ⠀

What Artists Wear, Charlie Porter, 2021. Image courtesy of Penguin Books

Luna Loves Art by Joseph Coelho

Proof that enjoying art is far from just for adults, author Joseph Coelho and illustrator Fiona Lumbers teamed up to create children’s book Luna Loves Art, which sees lead character Luna explore works by Van Gogh, Damien Hirst and Andy Warhol in an art gallery. We worked with publisher Anderson Press to clear the depiction of artworks in the book.

Luna Loves Art - Luna Loves, Joseph Coelho, Fiona Lumbers, 2020. Image courtesy of Andersen Press


The Ultimate Art Museum by Ferren Gipson

Visit the world’s greatest museum without leaving your home through Ferren Gipson’s imaginary art museum, using a fold-out museum map to chart movements and artworks throughout history. We worked with Phaidon on licensing the depiction of artworks in this virtual museum that jump off the page.

Ultimate Art Museum, Ferren Gipson, 2020. Image courtesy of Phaidon Press

Witchcraft: The History of Esoterica 

The fire burns and cauldron bubbles in this comprehensive history of witchcraft through the ages by Taschen, using art works of witches from renaissance to Japanese art to demonstrate how stories of witches have long captivated worldwide audiences.

Witchcraft. The Library of Esoterica, edited by Jessica Hundley and Pam Grossman, 2022. Image: Circe Invidiosa, John William Waterhouse,1892

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Need help? Speak to our team of specialists for expert guidance on finding the right image for your project. Email [email protected] or call 020 7780 7550.