Great Sunbeam with Clouds - Sympathy Greeting Card

INSIDE GREETING: It's always darkest before the dawn.

This glorious beam of light piercing the clouds delivers an uplifting message of hope and renewal. While we've chosen to interpret this scene as sunlight, they're actually the rings of Saturn as painted by Chesley Bonestell.

Chesley Knight Bonestell Jr. (1888 –1986) was an American painter, designer, and illustrator whose visionary artwork profoundly influenced the American space program and science fiction art. After pursuing architectural studies and working on notable projects like the Chrysler Building's Art Deco facade, he transitioned to Hollywood, creating matte paintings for iconic films. Realizing the potential to blend his skills with his passion for astronomy, Bonestell produced groundbreaking paintings of celestial bodies, notably Saturn as seen from its moons, garnering widespread acclaim. His illustrations for magazines and books, including The Conquest of Space (1949) with author Willy Ley, propelled his fame as a pioneer of astronomical art. Collaborating with Wernher von Braun, his illustrations in Collier's magazine helped ignite America's space program. Bonestell's legacy extends beyond his lifetime, with honors such as induction into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame and numerous celestial features named in his honor!

This product was custom designed and created at our location in Seattle.

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