Bidding for this lot will end on Wednesday, March 25th. The auction will begin at 9:30 AM (PDT) / 12:30 PM (EDT) / 4:30 PM (GMT) and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Thursday, March 26th or Friday, March 27th.
A painting, sometimes referred to as "Captive Princess," hand-painted by Frank Frazetta for the cover of the 1973 Ace paperback edition of Edgar Rice Burroughs' novel The People That Time Forgot. The painting depicts a partially nude woman being carried away by ape-like sub-humans in a prehistoric setting.
This painting was completed at the peak of Frank Frazetta's career while he was creating other book covers and illustrations for Burroughs' books, including John Carter and Tarzan, as well as Robert E. Howard's Conan. Frazetta rose to fame in the 1940s and 50s for his elegant pen and ink comic book illustrations. He illustrated Western and sci-fi comic book covers and stories for publishers such as EC Comics, and also created a classic run of Buck Rogers covers for Famous Funnies. He also worked on newspaper comic strips including Johnny Comet and Li'l Abner.
In the 60s and 70s, Frazetta focused his attention on painting, becoming a pop culture phenomenon after widespread distribution of posters of his painted works helped him to become a household name. In 1977, the renewed excitement around Burroughs' books-in part due to Frazetta's popular covers-inspired the release of a feature film adaptation of The People That Time Forgot starring Patrick Wayne (son of legendary film actor John Wayne). The film featured a number of overt homages to Frazetta, with the den of the evil Nargas warriors covered in Frazetta-inspired banners.
Today, Frank Frazetta is considered the top fantasy artist, having inspired a generation of acclaimed artists including Boris Vallejo and Ken Kelly. In recent years, prices for original published Frazetta paintings have escalated to new record highs for illustrated fantasy art, with the sale of one of his painted Conan paperback covers breaking the $10,000,000 mark in 2025.
This "Captive Princess" artwork is rendered in oil on pressboard labeled "People That Time Forgot (9186)" on the reverse and comes presented in a custom wooden frame designed to complement the green, brown, and bronze-color elements of the painting. It is signed by Frazetta in the lower right corner. Dimensions: (artwork) 18" x 24" (45.75 cm x 61 cm); (framed) 22.3" x 28" x 1.5" (57.25 cm x 71.25 cm x 4 cm)
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Sold without copyright; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.
Estimate: $500,000 - 1,000,000