R.I.P. Greg Hildebrandt

Prolific fantasy artist Greg Hildebrandt passed away in his home following health complications on October 31. He was 85.

Greg Hildebrandt is best known to Magic players as one half of the twin artist team Brothers Hildebrandt, alongside Tim Hildebrandt. 

Greg and Tim were born on January 23, 1939 in Detroit, Michigan and even from a young age, the pair aspired to be artists. While their original ambition to work as animators for Walt Disney never came to pass, the Brothers Hildebrandt blossomed into some of the most well-known fantasy artists of the 21st century. Greg's brother Tim preceded him in passing, following complications arising from Diabetes in 2006 at the age of 67. 

Either with his brother Tim or individually, Greg Hildebrandt contributed art for nearly 200 Magic cards during his lengthy career, beginning with six cards in 1999's Urza's Destiny. From there, the pair illustrated some iconic Magic cards known very well to Commander players, including Akroma's Vengeance, Cabal Ritual, Bridge from Below.

On his own, Greg was the creator of the art for Tooth and Nail, Aether Vial and the cycle of the original Ravnica block signets. 

Outside of Magic, the pair are best known for their work for other properties, including Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. The brothers in 1977 were commissioned to create new poster art for the UK release of the original Star Wars film, and the poster they submitted became an iconic piece of art still seen frequently today. To create the poster, the pair were given a 36-hour deadline.

The Brothers Hildebrandt continued to work as illustrators for magazines and books, creating a number of now-iconic fantasy artworks that many current artists site as inspiration for their own work. Throughout the 1980s, the duo chose to work independently, and Greg Hildebrandt's work was seen on the cover of magazines Omni and Heavy Metal. Greg Hildebrandt during this time contrubuted hundreds of illustrations for the pages of new editions of books like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Aladdin, Robin Hood, Dracula and The Phantom of the Opera. 

Some of that non-Magic work had even, in recent years, crossed over to Magic, thanks to the Universes Beyond Lord of the Rings release. Among their thousands of illustrations for dozens of properties throughout the years, the Brothers Hildebrandt were perhaps most famous for their series of illustrated Lord of the Rings calendars created in the mid-'70s. Among the art for those calendars were several pieces likely recognized by fans of Magic's crossover with Lord of the Rings: 

With news of Greg's passing, the art world has taken to social media to express condolences to his wife and long-time business manager, Jean, and his children and their families. Art luminaries across Magic as well as comics, book illustration, Star Wars and more have shared today ways in which Greg's art has influenced their own careers. It was well-known that Greg loved his fans, and continued to sign work for anyone who requested it even while battling health issues in recent months.

We here at Commander's Herald would like to add our condolences to the chorus. Greg's work has impacted all of us over the years, with a legacy serving as inspiration for subsequent generations of artists currently working and still to come, and the fantasy art world will miss him greatly.