Three more of Frank Frazetta's iconic pieces of art are joining the digital Frank Frazetta Legacy Collection.
Following April's release of the digitally remastered Death Dealer I, Death Dealer III and Barbarian NFTs, the Legacy Collection from MakersPlace and the Frazetta Art Museum and Knightsbridge Foundation are poised to introduce Egyptian Queen, Mothman and Silver Warrior on Aug. 5.
Egyptian Queen
- The Egyptian Queen, painted in 1969, is one of the most legendary paintings by Frank Frazetta and often referred to as his Mona Lisa. The painting also holds significant value to Frank because the figure in the painting is based on Frank’s wife, Ellie, when she was pregnant with her third child. The queen’s features are accentuated by the use of lighting and the vivid colors in the dress juxtaposed with the earthy tones in the foreground and background. The work first appeared in print on the cover for Eerie Magazine #23 in 1969, and was later featured on the cover of Creepy Magazine #92 in 1977. It is said that George Lucas used the painting of Egyptian Queen as his inspiration for the costume design for Princess Leia for Star Wars.
- On May 16, 2019, Egyptian Queen was auctioned through Heritage Auctions in Chicago, Illinois, and sold for $5.4 million, holding the world record as the most expensive piece of original comic book art ever sold at public auction. The previous record was the $1.79 million paid for Frazetta's Death Dealer 6, 1990, which was set by Heritage in May 2018.
Mothman
- Painted circa 1980, ‘Mothman’ is an iconic work by Frank Frazetta that was inspired by John Keel’s 1975 book “The Mothman Prophecies.” Keel, who was an American journalist and UFOlogist, popularized what several witnesses described as a man-sized, winged creature with glowing red eyes sighted in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, during 1966 and 1967. The book also combines these accounts with his theories on UFOs and supernatural phenomena, making connections to the collapse of the Silver Bridge across the Ohio River during that time.
- Frazetta’s painting depicts his interpretation of Mothman featuring bright fluorescent and colorful patterns in the wings. The creature is flanked by UFOs and Frazetta’s signature style of figures. The painting graced the cover of High Times Magazine #57 in May 1980, and the same image would later be used on the paperback cover of “The Mothman Prophecies” published in 1991. A 12-foot tall Mothman statue was unveiled in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in 2002, and appears to be based on Frazetta’s interpretation of the Mothman.
Silver Warrior
- Silver Warrior is one of Frank Frazetta’s most famous works and a fan favorite. Frazetta was known for his darker palette and imagery, thus making Silver Warrior stand out from his other works with the use of a brighter backdrop, snow and bright blue sky. Painted in 1972, Silver Warrior was featured as the cover image for Michael Moorcock’s book “The Silver Warriors.” The painting depicts a decorated warrior with elaborate armor riding a sleigh while being pulled through the snow by polar bears. Frazetta intentionally painted the polar bears without chains to avoid detracting the viewer’s eye from the flow of the composition, further capturing the imagination of the viewer.]
The digitally remastered versions of Frank Frazetta's Egyptian Queen, Mothman and Silver Warrior arrive on MakersPlace Aug. 5 before officially going on sale Aug. 12.
Source: MakersPlace