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An original hand-painted production cel from The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (1996), presenting the core trio: Jonny Quest, Jessie Bannon, and Hadji Singh. The inclusion of all three protagonists together makes this composition particularly desirable, as multi-character production setups were reserved for key narrative sequences or promotional use.
Produced by Hanna-Barbera and broadcast on Cartoon Network, The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest revitalised one of the studio's most iconic adventure franchises. The series built upon the 1964 original and 1980s revival, introducing a new generation to Jonny's world of science, technology, and intrigue. It was one of the studio's most ambitious productions of the 1990s, blending traditional 2D cel animation with early CGI sequences set in "QuestWorld".
This setup reflects that hybrid legacy, combining hand-painted craftsmanship with modern design sensibilities. Each cel was xerographically outlined and painted in studio using rich, opaque cel vinyls, while the original gouache production background captures the warm, painterly tones typical of mid-1990s Hanna-Barbera work.
The cel shows them face forward, striding forward across a vividly painted landscape, connecting directly with the viewer, evoking the series' spirit of global exploration and high-stakes mystery. It is paired with its matching hand-painted production background and a complete set of original animation drawings. It is signed by longtime Hanna-Barbera designer and art director Bob Singer.
The accompanying production drawings reveal the animators' line construction and movement arcs in coloured graphite, a fascinating insight into the process by which gesture, proportion, and energy were refined before painting. The cel and drawings bear the same Warner Bros. seal as the cel, confirming its authenticity and place in the studio's official art release program. There are minor paint marks on the left edge of one of the drawings.
This lot is a museum-worthy ensemble that celebrates both the heritage and evolution of Jonny Quest. It represents a transitional moment in animation history, when hand-rendered adventure storytelling met the digital frontier, and remains a rare, complete artefact of one of the studio's final great television epics. Dimensions (cel on background): 28 cm x 35.5 cm (11" x 14"); (each drawing): 24 cm x 27 cm (9.5" x 10.5")
Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.
Estimate: £800 - 1,600 Ω
View all lots from REAL ADVENTURES OF JONNY QUEST, THE (TV SERIES, 1996-1997)