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An exceptional hand-painted limited edition cel created to commemorate one of the most memorable couch gags in The Simpsons' history, signed by creators of The Flintstones; animation legends Bill Hanna, Joe Barbera, and creator of The Simpsons, Matt Groening.
The crossover first appeared in "Kamp Krusty" (Season 4, Episode 1, 1992), where the Flintstones family are seen seated on the famous Simpsons sofa in place of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie. It was later reused in "The Itchy & Scratchy & Poochie Show" (Season 8, 1997) to mark The Simpsons surpassing The Flintstones as the longest-running prime-time animated sitcom, symbolising a true passing of the torch between two eras of television history.
The Flintstones was the first animated series to occupy a prime-time slot when it premiered in 1960, establishing the animated family sitcom as a viable and beloved television format. Three decades later, The Simpsons redefined the genre with modern satire, social commentary, and an unmistakable visual style. This artwork unites both families within a single frame, celebrating the evolution of animation from Bedrock to Springfield and the enduring influence of both series on global culture.
Created through the official 20th Century Fox Fine Art Collector Programme, this edition was meticulously hand-painted on acetate using the same ink-and-paint techniques employed in the production process. It was produced to give collectors access to scenes that, by their nature, exist only once in the animation process. In traditional cel animation, each background painting and final composited setup is unique; only one original "couch gag" cel setup could ever be created for this scene. To meet collector demand and preserve this historic crossover moment, Fox authorised a small, numbered edition of hand-painted recreations, each supervised for colour accuracy and detail directly from studio reference.
Signed by Bill Hanna, Joe Barbera, and Matt Groening, this piece represents a rare convergence of animation's greatest creative forces. The official 20th Century Fox gold seal of authenticity is applied at the lower right.
Now long sold out, this edition was limited to just 350 examples worldwide (this example numbered 68/350), with only a small fraction personally signed by all three creators. Combining artistic craftsmanship, cultural symbolism, and impeccable provenance, it stands as one of the most significant crossover artworks ever produced for The Simpsons' fine art programme. Dimensions (mounted): 48 cm x 56 cm (19" x 22")
Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.
Estimate: £1,000 - 2,000 M
View all lots from SIMPSONS, THE (TV SERIES, 1989-PRESENT)