Hi

Someone from french community noticed the art for the "Players handbook" cover by Jeff Easley had a change onto French and German versions.
(He is probably not the first to have noticed..)

The wizard' hat/hood shape changed and we are wondering what could be the reason...
Acaeum book listing just say its an "updated art".

Does anyone know the real reason that explain that art change ?

list here :
PHB Foreign

Ty

It's been noted here before, but I don't remember any answers. I can imagine that if the European printers received art which became damaged, perhaps they made a last-minute fix with an airbrush. (The difference is located right where the art meets the titles above, a graphic-design minefield.) If intentional, I can only observe that the European hood looks like a hat from the 1600s-1700s, or devil horns. The US version looks more like real-life Judeo-Christian clergy. Could either the US or European publishers have thought there were cultural differences to address? Are we even certain that the US version reflects the original art?

Good find... I don't remember that thread at all.  Although I don't understand the conclusion that the French/German is the "original" version, which was then "completed" with the U.S. version -- besides the time discrepancy, the original art shows the full (U.S.) cowl: PHB Easley .

Foul

If it's what I think you're referring to -- sort of a darkened half-circle at the very top of the cowl -- I do see it on the US PHB cover, albeit not as pronounced as on the original art.  I can also see how, especially concerning other similar "scandals" in TSR artwork at the time, that the full cowl could be construed as a penis.  Both in coloration and that circular tip.  What's odd is that this would be edited for the European audience, who certainly wouldn't have noticed or cared.

So, no idea what to think.  And if Easley doesn't know, then no one would, I'd imagine -- save the actual TSR Art Department editor or artist who made the call at the time.

Foul

FoulFoot wrote in Jeff Easley Player's handbook art cover variant (FR GER):concerning other similar "scandals" in TSR artwork at the time

We may not know where it came from, but we can call it for what it is: The Cowl of the Heretic.

FoulFoot wrote in Jeff Easley Player's handbook art cover variant (FR GER):the European audience, who certainly wouldn't have noticed or cared.

Their suppression of emotion for pure logic is admirable, but watch out every seven years.

FoulFoot wrote in Jeff Easley Player's handbook art cover variant (FR GER):the actual TSR Art Department editor or artist who made the call at the time.

So much history has been lost. I collect old toy packaging, which has some amazing unsigned artwork (noted perhaps only in company paperwork now in landfills), by artists likely now passed away.

In the four photos above, the wizard appears to be looking in different directions. In some photos he has a suntan, but in others he does not. We can use this data to begin to piece together how the spell was cast. What appears to be an Easley painting is actually a magical scrying tool, employed by a mage of at least 7th level who is not necessarily located on this plane of existence.

In order to maintain the illusion, he must pose in exactly the exact way, each time he uses the scrying tool. Otherwise, we would begin to suspect something, because the figure would look different (cf: Night Gallery, pilot episode, "The Cemetery"). He does a fairly professional job, but there are usually errors if you know how to spot them. For instance, note the pictures created when he decided to look at something in Europe with the scrying tool. The top of his cowl is folded down, & he doesn't even notice!