Greg and Tim Hildebrandt (American, 20th Century) The Fellowship, Urshurak promotion, 1979 Acrylic on panel 26 x 48 inches (66.0 x 121.9 cm) Signed lower right: HILDEBRANDT The Frank Collection of Science Fiction & Fantasy Art PROVENANCE: Brandywine Gallery; Acquired by the present owner from the above, 1990. EXHIBITED: Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, Delaware, "The Art of Fantasy and Science Fiction," December 8, 1989-February 11, 1990; University of Maryland Gallery, College Park, Maryland, n.d. Greg and Tim Hildebrandt, twin artists known collectively as the Brothers Hildebrandt, were at the peak of their popularity when they began work on Urshurak. Between their widely admired Lord of the Rings calendar series and their poster art for the original release of Star Wars, their imaginative capacity was considered unmatched. One of their most ambitious projects, Urshurak was initially envisioned as a film with themes and settings that evoke J.R.R. Tolkien, but the story found its final form as an illustrated novel co-created with Jerry Nichols. The Fellowship was created as part of the promotion of Urshurak as a potential film, and shows the full complement of unlikely adventurers embarking on an epic quest against a Maxfield Parrish inspired background. The Brothers Hildebrandt's take on high fantasy remains influential for illustrators and even filmmakers, due in large part to the powerful artistry and warm imagination of works like the one display here. The present work appears as a color plate on page 94 of The Frank Collection: A Showcase of the World's Finest Fantastic Art by Jane Frank (Sterling Pub., 1999). HID12401132022 © 2024 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved