Henrique Alvim Corrêa's Martian Tripod Over Thames — War of the Worlds 1906

Drawn directly from H.G. Wells' 'The War of the Worlds,' this haunting pen-and-ink scene depicts a Martian fighting-machine — its towering tripod legs and heat-ray apparatus looming over a desolate riverbank — as buildings smolder in the background and a lone vessel lies beached on the shore. Corrêa's furious crosshatching conjures a sky choked with alien menace, perfectly capturing Wells' vision of humanity's helplessness before an invading extraterrestrial force. One of the most celebrated illustrations in early science fiction history.