Legendary artist, Frank Frazetta painted a second personalized version of his beloved The Princess of Mars hardcover, which is now up for auction.
Frank Frazetta’s painting for the 1970 hardback edition of Edgar Rice Burrough’s classic story, The Princess of Mars has officially gone to market.
Heritage Auctions reports that this prized piece is the late Frazetta’s second painting of the iconic image. In a particularly rare choice for the artist, Frazetta liked his original artwork so much that he made another nearly identical version to keep for himself.
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Heritage Auctions’ New York City-based Senior Consignment Director for Comics and Comic Art Nadia Mannarino explained, that at first glance, the original and Frazetta’s personal rendition are indistinguishable, but there are some very subtle differences. For one, Frazetta’s personal version depicts Dejah Thoris with a slightly different posture, one that conveys more strength and confidence. There are finer details as well, such as the featured jewelry and breastplate, which are both visibly more intricate. Similarly, the moons in one of the backgrounds is more precisely defined.
This painting is not only among Frazetta’s most prized work, it’s also one of the most influential book covers of all time, as artist Tom Jung modeled his unforgettable first Star Wars poster after it. The Princess of Mars is still relevant to this day as HBO’s Lovecraft Country recently featured an unexpected team-up with a major character from the classic novel.
Frazetta’s painting will be a centerpiece for Heritage Auctions’ Comics and Comic Art event on Sept. 10-13.
