HALF-BLOOD PRINCE – HARRY AND DUMBLEDORE IN THE BOAT WITH THE INFERI BELOW

Preliminary Scene Study for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2004)
Mary GrandPré (American, b. 1954)
Pencil on parchment tracing paper
Signed lower right: Mary GrandPré
Inscribed lower left: “Book 6 study” and dated 2004
25 cm x 58 cm
£20,500 (excl. VAT)

This expansive preliminary pencil sketch was created by Mary GrandPré in 2004 as a conceptual study for the climactic scene in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, as Harry and Dumbledore cross the subterranean lake in pursuit of one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes.

Serving as a developmental piece ahead of the final cover illustration, the drawing explores the atmosphere, scale, and narrative tension of the cave sequence. GrandPré uses this wide-format composition to map out key visual elements: the immense cavern, the eerie stillness of the lake, the ghostly Inferi lurking below the surface, and the glowing stone basin at the centre—believed to contain a fragment of Voldemort’s soul. Harry and Dumbledore appear in the enchanted boat, silhouetted against the cavernous depth, emphasizing the scale and danger of their journey.

This scene would become the basis for the final dust jacket illustration and reflects GrandPré’s meticulous approach to visual storytelling.

Provenance & Condition
The artwork is in excellent condition, with slight creasing and minor wear consistent with the artist’s working process. It has been professionally preserved and archivally mounted on museum-quality board with protective mats and cover.

Note
As a rare, large-format study, this piece offers valuable insight into Mary GrandPré’s visual planning for one of the most dramatic sequences in the series. It embodies the fusion of narrative and atmosphere that defines her contribution to the visual language of the Harry Potter books.

Catalogue Ref: Houston & GrandPré A(5)