Elementals

While elementals are a very common myth, not many of them seem to be the basis for the elementals in Dungeons and Dragons. The first example that was close to the ones shown in the monster manual are the elementals depicted in "De Occulta Philosophia" published in 1531. They are described as not having any common form and instead, just being elemental spirits taking on the purest form of their element. No art was found of these examples.