Frazetta

Frank Frazetta died yesterday. (May 10, 2010) I can't let his passing go without comment.

As a teen, interested in (captivated by) fantasy, there were two artists who were ubiquitous: the Brothers Hildebrandt, and Frank Frazetta [Yes, I know, that's really three artists, but the B.H. were always co-creators in those days, so they seemed like one unit.] And, thinking back, Frazetta was first and had the most immediate impact on me as a teenager. I had the picture "A Princess of Mars" on the wall of my bedroom. Or maybe I kept it hidden in my closet -- that's a lot of skin, and I'm not sure I would have been brave enough to put it where my mom could see it.

I don't know if I ever would have read all of the Edgar Rice Burroughs "John Carter, Warlord of Mars" stories if I had not had the images Frazetta placed in my mind helping me picture the action.

If you click on the image in this post, you will be taken to a Google search of Frazetta images, and you'll get a feel for what his body of work contained. Some people will know Frazetta as the "guy who painted the Molly Hatchet cover(s)." Some will know him for Conan the Barbarian. Did you ever see Vampirella? That was Frank's too.

Before Boris Vallejo & Julie Bell, Frank Frazetta was painting voluptuous humans in fantastic settings. Though I've never read it, I imagine Boris and Julie were quite influenced by Frazetta. [Warning - the link demonstrates my point, but contains nudity.] Unlike some of Vallejo & Bell's most popular work, however, it was not the sexuality of the figures which was most emphasized -- it was their power, and the captivating, otherworldly nature of their surroundings. Even in "A Princess of Mars" though the human characters are nearly undressed, it's the composition with the alien creatures and setting that define the painting.

I don't know how the art world saw Frank Frazetta. "Illustrators" don't get much respect, perhaps. But for a generation or two of young lovers of science fiction and fantasy, Frank left an indelible mark on our collective consciousness.

Rest In Peace, Frank Frazetta. Thanks for all the great images.