Way, way back as a kid I can remember us owning a couple of the “Terran Trade Authority” books that were packed full of space opera concept art and historical vignettes that tied them all together. (see here also). The best work in the books was, IMHO, that of Peter Elson (some of whose images you can see here)

Anyway, this nostalgic ramblimg was all brought on by this When Space Opera Becomes Art – space opera – io9.