This lot will be sold on Tuesday, 1st December (day 1 of the auction.) Lots 1-463 will be sold on day 1 (lots 464-913 will be sold on day 2). The auction will begin at 2:00 pm GMT. Lots are sold sequentially so there is no preset ending time. A live streaming broadcast of the auction will be available on auction days.

A hand-painted logo matte painting made circa 1951 for Paramount Pictures' famous opening credits. Paramount's iconic "Majestic Mountain" logo originated with a doodle by producer W.W. Hodkinson in 1914. Jan Domela was hired as Paramount's chief matte painter in 1928, creating several pieces for the studio before his departure from the studio in 1968, including what would become the definitive version of the company's logo. Beginning circa 1951, iterations of this logo appeared in the famous opening credits of every Paramount picture until a revised logo was introduced in 1975.

This partial matte painting of the Majestic Mountain has been dated to the 1950s, when Paramount was heavily invested in widescreen and VistaVision filmmaking, and is believed to have been painted by Domela himself. The particular landscape illustrated here closely matches the opening sequences of several VistaVision movies from the era, including White Christmas and The Trouble with Harry. It also became an instrumental part of the opening sequences throughout the Indiana Jones franchise, with the mountain dissolving into different elements in each film.

The painting is rendered in mixed media on wood cut to match the shape of the mountain. It is in good overall condition with wear along its edges and various signs of age, including faded paint and discoloured wood. Dimensions: 223.5 cm x 56 cm x 12.75 cm (88" x 22" x 5")

Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the buyer's guide.

Special shipping required; see special shipping notice in the Buyer's Guide.

Estimate: £15,000 - 25,000 US