Roger Hane’s A Love by the Stars sold for $5,500 at Swann Auction Galleries Illustration Art auction on Dec. 15, 2022 in New York City.
A talented illustrator, Hane produced over 300 illustrations during his short yet prolific 11-year professional career, with many of them for major publishing houses, magazines and record companies.
His surreal imagery is perhaps most notably depicted in his illustrations of the best-selling fantasy novels, The Chronicles of Narnia. The image on our cover is another example of Hane’s moody, out-of-this-world work. The illustration was created for De Beers’ famous “A Diamond is Forever” campaign and features his signature rich palette and jewel tones. In celebration of Valentine’s Day this month, what more fitting a subject than love to grace our cover?
Hane’s life was unexpectedly and tragically cut short in 1974, when he was robbed and murdered in Central Park in New York City at the young age of 35. Despite a short-lived career, his work left a lasting imprint on society. He was awarded numerous posthumous awards, including the New York Artist Guild’s Artist of the Year Award. Though relatively scarce, some of Hane’s artwork can be found at auction for those looking to add a piece to their collection.
Some of our other favorites, from Swann Auction Galleries Illustration Art auction on Dec. 15, 2022 in New York City, appear throughout the issue.
