ROGER HANE (1939-1974) "A Love by the Stars." De Beers diamond advertisement.
Created for De Beers' "A Diamond is Forever" ad campaign, 1971. Acrylic on canvas. 914x711 mm; 36x28 inches.
Hane was a highly talented and prolific illustrator during the short span of his professional career. Though he created hundreds of magazine, book, and album cover designs, he is likely best known for the covers of the Collier-Macmillan editions of C.S. Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia books and the surrealist covers for Carlos Castaneda's The Teachings of Don Juan and A Separate Reality for Simon & Schuster.
Created for De Beers' ubiquitous "A Diamond is Forever" campaign -and the company's slogan - the painting is a gorgeous example of his work, generally scarce on the market. It is rendered in a rich palette, with moody figures and backgrounds to create a sense of mystique. The full text, with its very 1970s astrology vibe, read: "A love by the stars was important. Until the right man of the wrong sign put his star on my finger. And I entered his house with my love." Hane was at the height of his creative powers when he died as a result of a mugging in Central Park, but was recognized by the artistic community with several posthumous awards. Philadelphia College of Art, in his home state of Pennsylvania, offers an annual Roger T. Hane Memorial Award to the student with the year's best illustration portfolio.
