Michael WhelanJun 19

HARI (1985)
Acrylic on Canvas - 32” x 20”

Hari Seldon, the benevolent grand architect of the next millennium is seen here against the splendor of Trantor at the height of its power. It is a world completely sheathed in metal: one gigantic city that is the hub and nerve center of the Empire. 1/5

#sciencefiction #illustration #isaacasimov #foundation #delreybooks

Show threadMichael WhelanJun 19
Hari Seldon and Trantor inspire and permeate the whole series; they are the books' ultimate symbols, and so the only choice for the first cover. The composition is meant to suggest the stately grandeur of a monumental civilization. 2/5
Show threadMichael WhelanJun 19
As in the Greek and Roman columns of antiquity, the towers represent the tradition, law, and bureaucracy of the thousand-year empire. Seldon is poised in his wheelchair; the light is coming from low on the horizon—it could be dawn or sunset, or both—signifying the impending doom of Trantor and the birth of the Foundation. 3/5
Show threadMichael Whelan

It was only later I noticed another aspect of the symbolism in this painting.

I have always had a horrible fascination for the A-bomb and I painted this during the fortieth anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima—that's the only explanation I can think of for the peculiar shapes of the towers. 4/5

Jun 19 at 2:25pmWeb
Show threadMichael WhelanJun 19

Cover illustration for FOUNDATION by Isaac Asimov (Del Rey) 5/5

https://www.michaelwhelan.com/galleries/hari/

Show threadPhil BettsJun 19
@MichaelWhelan I so wish these were still the cover illustrations! As someone who only came to Foundation a couple of years ago they're so evocative and far, far preferable to the bland corporate cover trend of today.
Show threadRazJun 19
@MichaelWhelan wow I remember loving the book and the cover setting that seed of how the world looks! Thank you so much for your work!
Show threadMaryMarasKittenBakeryJun 19
@MichaelWhelan
They are amazing, though!