DALLAS, TX.- One of the most legendary paintings by famed artist Frank Frazetta – and without question the greatest ever to come to auction – is the runaway headline lot in Heritage Auctions’ Comics & Comic Art Auction May 16-18 in Chicago.

Frank Frazetta Egyptian Queen Painting Original Art (1969) (estimate: $5,000,000+) is the painting that, more than any other, helped Frazetta revolutionize fantasy illustration.

The masterpiece has been in the possession of Frazetta’s family ever since it was created 50 years ago, and now is offered to the public for the first time ever.

The popularity of the image has been enduring and expansive. For decades, it appeared on comic books, paperback book covers, posters and album covers. Over the years, other artists have created their own versions of the painting, in honor of the powerful image and the iconic artist who created it.

“Egyptian Queen is quite possibly the most popular painting Frank Frazetta ever did,” Heritage Auctions Vice President Todd Hignite said. “His paintings single-handedly sold hundreds of thousands of books and scores of wildly popular posters, reinventing and massively expanding the entire field of fantasy illustration. It is an iconic image, masterfully painted, and is without a doubt the most desirable work of art by the artist to ever be auctioned.

“The painting is extraordinary and can be the centerpiece of any collection, and having the unquestioned provenance of being in the artist’s family ever since it was created makes this a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors.”