Knight of the Living Dead - Forgotten Realms by Jeff Easley (1989)

This legendary high-fantasy masterpiece is titled “Knight of the Living Dead”, painted in 1989 by the legendary American fantasy artist Jeff Easley. Rendered using a traditional oil on illustration board technique, the composition utilizes a dramatic sword-and-sorcery horror motif: an imposing skeletal undead warrior adorned with a winged golden helmet and a vibrant red cape bursts forth from a crumbling stone archway, catching a group of startled, dirty-faced dungeon scavengers completely off guard around a small campfire beneath a massive, clouded full moon. The origin of this specific piece stems from a specialized commercial commission by TSR, Inc., where it famously served as the front cover illustration for the 1989 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons gamebook Knight of the Living Dead, which holds historical significance as the fourth entry in the Catacombs Solo Quest series and the only book in that particular product line to be explicitly set within the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. The compelling backstory of the artwork mirrors the unique narrative gimmick of the interactive solo adventure itself; rather than depicting a standard heroic knight fighting a monster, the illustration visually subverts the trope by putting the player directly in the rotting shoes of the protagonist—a former holy paladin who has been reanimated by an evil lich, leaving the skeletal hero to struggle for his free will as he navigates underground tombs beneath the city of Waterdeep to stop an invading undead army.

Professionally restored and reproduced from the original artwork, this print preserves the powerful visual impact of Jeff Easley's painting while offering exceptional detail and color fidelity for modern display. • Premium 200 g/m² matte paper • Exceptional detail and color reproduction • Professionally enhanced and restored image quality • Available in 12x18", 16x24", and 24x36" sizes • Unframed for custom display options • Printed in the USA