Benalish Hero Art

Striking, noble, boldly awaiting duty’s call. The iconic Douglas Shuler artwork for Benalish Hero defined one ofMagic: The Gathering’s five colors for years in the 1990s. The painting’s distinctive strengths and flaws embodyMagic as it was at its debut, and hint at the qualities which made the card game an instant success.

Public demand for original paintings from Magic: The Gathering has exploded since the early 2000s, creating a well-established and competitive market. As the game’s subculture has matured, the weight of nostalgia has built up around famous and powerful cards from years past.
You can look at Magic as one of the world’s most powerful and extensive networks for promoting original art. Any card art printed today will become recognizable to tens of millions of players worldwide!
What’s more, associating the art with game pieces leads players to develop deep emotional attachments to those images. This explains why the most important factor in valuing Magic artwork is not the artist or even aesthetics, but the preeminence of its card within Magic subculture.
Benalish Hero is a perfect example of the kind of art the community is most interested in: an iconic era-defining creature from Magic’s very first printing (Limited Edition Alpha), featuring bold, memorable art.
Other paintings from that historic Alpha set are rarely seen on the market; the majority change hands in private deals. Mythic Markets is extremely proud to be able to offer the broader community an opportunity to invest in Alpha art.

Condition: Excellent