Fantasy Art Masterpieces

In 1923, Fantasy art, a colorful blend of myth, muscle, and sexy maidens, took off with the launch of Weird Tales magazine. It experienced a resurgence in the 1960s with The Lord of the Rings and Conan the Barbarian paperbacks featuring Frank Frazetta covers, as well as the emergence of fantasy psychedelia in the late ’60s. The genre reached new heights in the ’70s with the popularity of Dungeons & Dragons, the brilliant French magazine Métal Hurlant, and the release of the first Star Wars film. Although the number of active artists peaked in that decade, a new generation of fans discovered the genre through fantasy trading card games in the ’90s, leading to a massive interest in fantasy art today. Notably, Frank Frazetta’s oil paintings have sold for more than $5 million in recent years when they occasionally come to market. Fans eagerly line up at Comic-Cons to meet iconic artists such as Boris Vallejo, Rodney Matthews, Greg Hildebrandt, Michael Whelan, and Philippe Druillet, while also honoring deceased legends HR Giger, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, and Frazetta.

TASCHEN's History of Fantasy Art will be eagerly welcomed by fans, as it includes all the artists mentioned above and more. This book showcases original paintings alongside preparatory sketches, sculptures, calendars, magazines, and paperback books, offering an immersive dive into this dynamic and fanciful genre. Insightful bios provide a more accurate and eye-opening look into the life of each artist, going beyond Wikipedia entries. This collection is set to reign as the most exquisite and informative guide to this popular subject for years to come.

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