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Aptly showing the insides of one's head, this illustration accompanied “Goodnight. Sleep Clean,” a Times Opinion article about the brain playing the part of mental janitor during sleep. Published January 11, 2014, the article detailed how the brain clears out “all of the junk that has accumulated as a result of your daily thinking.” The image is part of our collection of editorial illustrations being offered for the first time ever to the public as unframed or framed fine-art prints.

Illustrations have played an instrumental role in The Times’s journalistic legacy since December 11, 1861, when we published our first drawings – front page cartoons of James Gordon Bennett, rival publisher of The Herald. Today, The Times commissions thousands of original illustrations from freelance artists around the world. Artists, each with a distinct approach and personality, enhance stories with thought-provoking images that enrich the reading experience.

This image is by Eiko Ojala, an illustrator based in Estonia and New Zealand. Eiko likes to study the forms of shapes and he works closely with light and shadow. He likes to keep his illustrations minimal, combining consummate craftsmanship with a healthy sprinkling of wit.