I recently purchased a limited edition print by Florian Bertmer that depicts the eponymous alien entity from Lovecraft’s The Call of Cthulhu. The piece was originally created for the Required Reading show at Gallery 1988, which featured posters inspired by literature. Bertmer sold 60 prints of the gallery edition on the Internet through Moon Editions. They sold out very quickly, but I managed to secure one to hang on the wall of my home office.

That is not dead which can eternal lie,
And with strange aeons even death may die.

I really like limited edition science fiction posters, but I rarely buy any myself. The serious collectors tend to accumulate these things as an affirmation of their commitment to fandom. It often takes luck or significant effort to snag a popular piece before the supply is completely depleted. On several occasions in the past, I’ve taken a liking to a particular print for sale from a vendor like Mondo but found that it was already sold out by the time I decided to actually make the purchase.

When Moon Editions put up Bertmer’s Cthulhu print, I didn’t hesitate for an instant. The piece was absolutely perfect for me—one of my favorite stories rendered by one of my favorite artists. I fell in love with it immediately and decided to buy it for myself as a birthday present. It arrived right around my birthday, but I was in Chicago at the time and didn’t get a chance to open it up until the weekend when I returned home.

It arrived in perfect condition and looks amazing. The detail in the image, particularly the intricate curvature of the vines and tentacles, is stunning. Bertmer’s style is influenced by Giger, but has some Art Nouveau flourishes that make it truly distinctive. The Cthulhu poster is darker and less flamboyant than some of his other works. The lettering and structure of the composition give it the rich feel of a vintage science fiction book cover.

I had it framed at Aaron Brothers and chose gallery-style glass so that it wouldn’t pick up too much glare from the lights in the room. I selected a subtle black wooden frame and a nice olive green mat that really contrasts nicely with the dark colors of the print. I hung it on the wall opposite of a framed poster print of Dali’s Moment of Explosion.

Now that I have a Great Old One adorning the wall of my home office, I think I’m going to keep an eye open for more Lovecraft-themed artwork so I can start building a collection.