The following is the Heritage write up for this Kelly Freas painting:
Kelly Freas (American, 1922-2005)
Stargate, Analog Science Fiction digest magazine cover study, June 1974,
Oil on board
19-1/4 x 15 inches (48.9 x 38.1 cm) (sight)
Signed lower left: Kelly Freas
The final version of the present work appears on the June 1974 Analog Science Fiction digest magazine cover for the story Stargate by Tak Hallus and also appears as a 1974 print published by Conde Nast.
I very much doubt the Heritage description of this artwork. I have owned and still own dozens of published works by Kelly and I have owned dozens of prelims by him. Never have I seen or heard of a prelim or study that is fully finished and signed that is 19 x 15 inches! I suspect that this painting is more likely explained by one of the three following:
1) The art editor rejected this version and had Kelly repaint with a focus on the space station instead of the Stargate.
2) This painting was lost in the mail but found after the deadline, forcing Kelly to repaint for publication.
3) This painting was a recreation done at the request of a friend or collector that liked the published cover. I myself had Kelly do two recreations in the past.
The real reason I bought this painting was that back in the 1970's and early 1980's when I was discovering science fiction pulps and digest magazines Kelly quickly became a favorite and this cover was seared into my mind as a favorite. Little did I realize at the time that I would become a collector of his originals, so when I saw this, I had to have it as it is probably as close as I will get to the published cover!
If anyone has any further information on this it would be much appreciated!
