'The Grandfather of the Grimdark Style' — John Blanche, the Legendary Illustrator Who Defined the Look of Warhammer 40,000, Has Died

John Blanche, the legendary illustrator whose art helped define the grimdark Warhammer 40,000 setting, has died. A Facebook post from Trish Carden Miniatures and Design brought news that Blanche passed away earlier this week. “John was an inspirational artist, devoted to his family and a good friend to many,” the post reads. “Always generous with his time and knowledge, he was very well loved by all who knew and worked with him. He’ll be hugely missed. The world of Warhammer was brought to life by his vision of the grimdark setting and I know his art meant a lot to so many of you. He leaves behind an enormous legacy that has enriched many people’s lives.” Blanche is perhaps best known for his art depicting the Emperor sat upon the Golden Throne, an image seared into the minds of Warhammer 40,000 fans and one that helped establish what we think of as the Emperor’s current status in the setting. Blanche has spoken of this image before in interviews, revealing his art was never meant to depict the "real" Emperor, rather it was meant to show an image of the Emperor pilgrims who had made their way to Terra (earth in the 41st millenium) would gaze upon as they arrived at what they though