Frank Frazetta's iconic Man Ape painting of Conan the Barbarian sold for $13.5 million at Heritage Auctions last week. The 1966 oil painting, which appeared on the cover of a 1967 Lancer/Ace paperback, holds the world record for any comic or fantasy artwork sold at auction, beating Frazetta's previous record of $6 million for Dark Kingdom in 2023.
"This is one of the most important paintings in the history of fantasy art ever to come to auction," said Todd Hignite, Heritage's Executive Vice President. "Frazetta didn't just illustrate Conan — he transformed him into an icon." The painting, consigned by the Frazetta family, depicts a scene from Robert E. Howard's "Rogues in the House," showing Conan's brutal encounter with the man-ape Thak.
Holly Frazetta, the artist's daughter, said: "Our family is beyond thrilled with this incredible result — and the most gratifying aspect is knowing without a doubt how proud my dad would have been. He often talked about how much breaking records meant to him, but I don't think he could have imagined this record!"
Image courtesy Heritage Auctions.
Previously:
• Frank Frazetta's iconic Conan painting heads to auction
• 40 Frazetta book covers at once
