Frank R. Paul (American, 1884-1963) The World of Singing Crystals, Wonder Stories magazine cover, April 1936 Oil on canvasboard 21 x 16-1/2 inches (53.3 x 41.9 cm) (image) Signed lower left From the Gary Munson Collection Frank R. Paul is often regarded as the progenitor of science fiction illustration, best known for his covers and interiors for Amazing Stories, Wonder Stories, and a multitude of pulp magazines. Influencing a generation of science fiction writers and artists with his masterful depiction of cityscapes and technologies, it is clear that Paul has left an indelible mark on our collective imagination. Paul was born in 1884 in Radkersburg in what was then Austria-Hungary. The artist was initially trained in architectural drawing, receiving training throughout his career in Vienna, Paris, and New York City. Paul's career would gain traction in 1914 after magazine publisher Hugo Gernsback would hire him to illustrate The Electrical Experimenter (known as Science and Invention after 1920). This would be the beginning of a consistent partnership across multiple publications such as the aforementioned Amazing Stories. Work on The Electrical Experimenter would establish Paul's science-fiction designs as the magazine would be Gernsback's first attempt at including science-fiction stories in one of his publications. Frank R. Paul's work is immediately recognizable, defined by dynamic compositions, bright, simple color palettes, and a penchant for depicting large machines such as robots and spaceships. Across this body of work, Paul's architectural training is evident, as his imagining of machines and buildings all have a consistent logic, lending to their believability. Paul is remembered for those convincing depictions of a world just beyond our reach but firmly planted within our imaginations. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved