Robert William Chambers (American, 1865-1933) The King in Yellow book cover, 1895 Ink and watercolor on paper 22-1/8 x 16 inches (56.2 x 40.6 cm) (image) Signed center right From the Gary Munson Collection This is the original cover illustration for the first edition of The King in Yellow, a collection of short stories written by Robert William Chambers, with a fictional play of the same name as its central motif. This novel is viewed as an antecedent to the writings of later science-fiction and horror writers such as H.P. Lovecraft who would ultimately integrate its mythos into his own. While Chambers is most known for his written works the author was also a trained artist, having attended the Académie Julian in Paris. The prevalence of late 19th century Art Nouveau styles and Chambers' academy training likely influenced the author-illustrator's poster-like approach to this cover illustration. The cultural impact of the written work, in tandem with the piece's compositional appeal makes this item particularly unique. HID03101062020 © 2020 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved