diff --git a/include/book.h b/include/book.h
index 04d71b1a3..c395ffce2 100644
--- a/include/book.h
+++ b/include/book.h
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ class Book
  private: // functions
   std::string getCategoryFromTags() const;
   const Illustration& getDefaultIllustration() const;
-  Illustration& getMutableDefaultIllustration();
 
  protected: // data
   std::string m_id;
diff --git a/src/book.cpp b/src/book.cpp
index 7d36b782a..3074a843d 100644
--- a/src/book.cpp
+++ b/src/book.cpp
@@ -40,8 +40,6 @@ Book::Book() :
   m_pathValid(false),
   m_readOnly(false)
 {
-  const auto illustration = std::make_shared<Illustration>();
-  m_illustrations.assign(1, illustration);
 }
 
 /* Destructor */
@@ -243,12 +241,6 @@ const Book::Illustration& Book::getDefaultIllustration() const
   throw std::runtime_error("No default illustration");
 }
 
-Book::Illustration& Book::getMutableDefaultIllustration()
-{
-  const Book* const const_this = this;
-  return const_cast<Illustration&>(const_this->getDefaultIllustration());
-}
-
 const std::string& Book::Illustration::getData() const
 {
   if (data.empty() && !url.empty()) {