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H.R. Giger - "The Tourist" Painting Original Art (ca. 1980). H.R. Giger single-handedly defined a horror and science fiction aesthetic for an entire generation, and his imagery is now more popular and widespread than ever. Such perfectly emblematic and iconic original paintings are extremely rare in the market. This artwork comes from H. R. Giger's concept designs for the unproduced science fiction and horror script "The Tourist". It reveals his unmistakable blend of organic anatomy and mechanical structure, creating a surreal and haunting presence. Originally imagined for Clair Noto's unrealized film, the image captures a world where alien forms twist and coil in eerie silence. The creature appears part reptile, part machine, rendered with smooth textures and unsettling precision. Though the film never moved past development, Giger's vision remains a striking reminder of what could have been, a lost moment of cinematic horror shaped by a singular imagination. This painting hung in the stairway of del Toro's Bleak House, as seen in Guillermo del Toro: Cabinet of Curiosities - My Notebooks, Collections and Other Obsessions co-written by Marc Scott Zicree. Rendered in airbrush with an image area of 38.5" x 52.5"; plexiglass-front framed to 43.25" x 57.25". Exhibits light handling. Unexamined out of frame. With Guillermo del Toro signature on back of frame. Exhibited at LACMA, MIA, and AGO as part of the Guillermo del Toro: At Home with Monsters exhibit (2016-2018). Comes with a COA from Heritage Auctions.

"It is rare to find Giger's creature creation in this large format. His airbrush work remains a singularity in the visual world, and the way he combined delicate lips or features with sinuous, translucent alien biology is one of his strongest trademarks. I selected this work because it is a pristine, centerpiece example of this." From the personal collection of Guillermo del Toro.


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Auction Info

Auction Dates
September, 2025
26th Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 4
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 2,781

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25% of the successful bid per lot.

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Sold on Sep 26, 2025 for: $325,000.00
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