Pathways to Fantasy #1 Cover by Barry Windsor-Smith (1984)

WOW! Incredible!

This is not a dude. You are a dude. This... This is a man. A handsome, muscular man... It's like a pirate had a baby with an angel.

congrats on a beautiful piece of art. One of Barry's best paintings!

Wow, this is a GREAT piece of art.

Stunning BWS cover! Takes me back to the aw I felt seeing it the first time when Pathways came out. Thanks for posting

Yawn... what else you got?  

Besides one of of the best Barry Smith paintings ever.  Congrats on scoring your grail!  It's a beauty.  Color me green...

Absolutely beautiful!  Huge Congrats!!!

Grail!  Art for art's sake.  An incredible achievement all on its own.

HOLY SH.......I mean, HOLY GRAIL!!!!!

That's a real stunner, congrats!

Holy cow Rick. I can't even make any quips with this one. Stunningly beautiful BWS work. Congrats on your holy grail! Murica! ok...one quip.

Damn! No words...

Awesome piece of art!!!!

Well damn. Colors have held up better than some others I've seen. Congrats!

What a score!! Congrats, Rick...of course this is right in your wheelhouse!

Whoa!!! Huge congrats, Rick! Amazing piece!

Lots of great foliage detail.  Congrats on this beautiful BWS cover!

You won the auction! One of the most amazing pieces of art ON THE PLANET!!! Many Mazaltovs. 

Baller.

Holy shit! YOU'RE the one who won this?!? Is THIS the big piece you said you were going after and had to sell a few of your other pieces to help get it? I can't imagine it could be anything bigger than this! Such a classic, and incredibly beautiful Conan illustration! I couldn't afford the comic because it would've meant 3 less Marvel comics at the time, but I clearly remember how gorgeous the cover was when it hit the stands. Congratulations, Rickster!

Yes, this IS the one! 

To quote the mighty Chris Snorek-  "for the greater good" ;)

Thanks!

Magnificent!

Jaw-dropping. I can see why you might have left out the background in your fine teenage effort to re-create it  – how do you begin to do that? A cover that is in a class of its own. Congrats. 
 

A killer piece for sure - congrats!!

The question must be asked...Are you going to hang this side by side with your version?

Mine looks like a cartoon beside this masterwork so I think I'll keep 'em separated  ;)

This was the star of the auction for obvious reasons, and one of the nicest color bws pieces I've seen.  Such a masterpiece and beyond grail territory.

This painting should be in a museum

BWS is in a class of his own and so is this cover. Just superb.

Absolutely one of BWS's greatest pieces ever, nuthin' but Grail, you've won CAF and the internets today, huge congrats!!

Stop the Insanity!  Now that you climbed Mt. Everest, is it time to retire?  Just wow!

Unbelievable!  Congratulations Rick. (And if you have to sell any of your other grails, you know how to reach me ...)

An absolute masterpiece! 

Great example Rick.

The Michael it's signed to is Michael Thibodeaux. 

I remember being very tempted by it when Michael was offering it at San Diego many years ago.  Also a good bit more on the asking that what you got it for.

Congratulations - spectacular piece!

Amazing acquisition 

What a seminal BWS. Congrats on fulfilling your dream.  

Completely astonishing, one of Barry's finest pieces.

Mindboggling, Rick! The fact that this art inspired you to recreate it with your own hands tells me it's in the right home. It also says a lot that you sacrificed some precious pieces to win it. With deepest appreciation, and congratulations of the highest order. 

Technically, every work of art is unique... Then, some are more unique than others... But when it comes to this piece, we're reaching a whole new level, up several scales! But, then, it's BWS and a major work of his, so... You can open up your own museum, now!

Incredible piece of BWS art Rick!  Huge congrats on a dream achieved and thanks much for sharing!

W-O-W!! (still picking jaw off the ground). Congratulations Rick!!

The word "grail" gets tossed around some on this site, a personal "grail" can be anything you coveted personally but this is a "Grail" that all of us would covet. Congrats. 

Amazing. Amazing piece. Can't say I'm not envy of this as I had another priority in the same auction but it sounds like it ended up in the right home. Congrats! 

Major congrats Rick such an epic beautiful piece!

A holy grail! I guess "The Castle of Aaaauuuggghhhh" actually exists! Cheers! (Great painting, by the way.)

Holy Grail indeed- this qualifies! Congrats and sorry for driving the price up. 

Huge congrats on adding this grail to your wonderful collection. 

It is mesmerizing.  Hope you frame it someday.

Oh my! Incredible! Grail indeed! Big time congratulations Rick!!!!

Truly outstanding, man, wow.  Cannot beat it as a BWS example.  Whew.  HUGE congrats!

Oh wow! That is absolutely glorious! 🤩

Huge congrats! Looks Awsome. 

Wow. I can stare at this forever. Congrats!!!

A feast for the eyes!

The composition and detail in this piece is otherworldly! The history makes it that much better and reminds how great this hobby is. Sincere congrats on bringing an absolute beauty home!

I just came from leaving a comment on your stunning Zaffino Conan cover, spotted this one (sorry - I've been away...), and was BLOWN AWAY.  Rick - this is astonishing.  I feel like I had The Studio for a while before I saw this image (I didn't see this one until a couple years after it was published), but I remember feeling like this piece was the first "new classic" BWS piece I had ever seen...?  This is an ultra-rare and intoxicatingly spectacular jewel, Rick: BWS at it his most gorgeous and luscious, with a palette and richness to the piece that is simply unreal.  As soon as I think I've never seen anything more beautiful than the details and colors in the foliage in the background, I look at the helmet and shoulder guard... and the furs and beads around the subject's waist... and the footwear...  and I realize the depths of its richness are bottomless, un-plumbable, unfathomable.  It is an indelible image executed by singular, generational talent, leveraging a highly specialized and individual skill set honed over a lifetime of practice and dedication to study and craft.  It's texture and richness and passion and power, and your already mighty collection swells with glory as it levels up with its addition.

I'm unsure how exactly to compliment someone on having a piece that was plucked from another plane of existence land in their very worthy collection, but that's where we're at here, Rick.  My most sincere and extreme heartfelt congratulations on locking down such an inestimable treasure.  Just... dang, dude. :)

Truly a special BWS! Loved this image when it came out. 

This is fantastic!  

breathtaking !

Staggering. The dense and rich textures of the background could have darkened the image so as to obscure the foreground, but the superb handling of light on the shield, helment and face ensure that the figure is seen clearly emerging from the undergrowth. Masterful, and an extraordinary addition to your - or anybody's - collection. Massive congrats, Rick.

Incredible BWS masterpiece and a fantastic backstory - congrats!!