Perhaps you’ve come across some interesting pictures of a giant tentacle monster and are wondering “what the heck IS that?!” That friends, is Cthulhu, an ancient inhuman god who lies dormant in the Pacific Ocean, waiting to once again rule over the Earth.
The character was created by fantasy author H.P. Lovecraft and first published in the pulp magazine Weird Tales in 1928. While the story had limited success at the time, the appreciation for Lovecraft’s work has grown tremendously since then.
The mythology behind Cthulhu has expanded over the years, with many books, games and movies building onto the original story.
🤭 How do you pronounce Cthulhu? While the true pronunciation isn’t possible by human vocal cords, the best approximation is “kuh-thoo-loo”.
Cthulhu is usually depicted as a mountain-sized monster with the head of an octopus, wings of a dragon and a humanoid body. In his watery slumber he is able to influence the dreams of humans across the world and has a small but devoted cult of worshipers who consider him a god.
It’s prophecized that Cthulhu will one day awaken, break free of his watery prison and retake his rightful place as the planet’s ruler.
With such a unique physical description, it’s no surprise the “Lord of the Watery Abyss” has inspired an incredible assortment of art over the years.
Gathered here is some of the best Cthulhu art we could find, along with the artists behind each piece.
Want more H.P. Lovecraft art? Check out our collection of art inspired by his other cosmic creatures.
Pretty wild stuff huh? The best Cthulhu art tells you just enough of a story to make you a little bit worried.
If you’d like to learn more about the Cthulhu mythos and how it became mainstream, check out this article.
Want to learn how to draw Cthulhu? Watch this pen and marker tutorial from Daniel Grissom:
