Bram Stoker

"The walls of my castle are broken, the shadows are many." - Bram Stoker, Dracula

When Bram Stoker published gothic horror novel Dracula in 1897, little did he know what tremendous influence it would have on subsequent works and the horror genre. 

We were drawn to Jonathan Harker's Journal entry for May 7 (Chapter 2), which offers a description of the physical characteristics of the castle but hint at something deeply psychological: 

"Moreover, the walls of my castle are broken; the shadows are many, and the wind breathes cold through the broken battlements and casements. I love the shade and the shadow, and would be alone with my thoughts when I may.”

In our illustration, an imposing castle looms in the shadow of the setting sun, the window reminiscent of a coffin. The negative space forms a set of jaws closing around the castle and the hapless victims who enter.