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Artwork hand-painted by Ron Embleton for the end credits of Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's sci-fi TV series Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons.

Following his impressive work on the Stingray comic strips, British illustrator Embleton was invited by Gerry Anderson to provide artwork for the closing credits to Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons. Embleton's 10 pieces showed Captain Scarlet in various perilous situations, with this artwork being the fifth to appear in the sequence. A section of each image was also presented in close-up as part of the sequence. These artworks were stored in pristine condition by series producer Reg Hill until his death in 1999 and were later sold by Christies.

The artwork depicts Captain Scarlet pinned under a rockfall as he reaches for a lit bundle of dynamite. The peril, tension and sheer drama in Embleton's artwork became iconic, helping cement Scarlet's reputation as Gerry Anderson's darkest and most cinematic Supermarionation series. Executed in gouache and watercolour on board, the piece is accompanied by its original acetate overlay, marked with chinagraph pencil, showing camera crop guides. This overlay was placed under a rostrum camera to facilitate a scrolling, zoom effect, creating the famous close-up used on screen. The artwork is fully screen-matched, seen in every episode of Captain Scarlet as the credits roll and is an incredibly rare piece of television history. It is displayed in a gun-metal frame. Dimensions (frame): 59 cm x 72 cm x 2 cm (23.25" x 28.25" x 0.75")

Additional Provenance:

This artwork was sold as Lot 156 in Christie's TV Generation auction on 11 Jul 2002.

Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.

Estimate: £15,000 - 30,000 M

View all lots from CAPTAIN SCARLET AND THE MYSTERONS (TV SERIES, 1967-1968)