LIVE NIRVANA GUIDE TO KURT COBAIN'S ART Drawings

Warning about counterfeit material: There is an increasing amount of fake NIRVANA memorabilia on the market — including fake Cobain artwork — collectors are advised to exercise caution when presented with such items and to always independently research and verify the claimed provenance before investing any monies.

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  1. Ink on paper sketch of Goofy, dated 1973. Previously owned by Leland Cobain, this item was auctioned on eBay 08/2004.
  2. Ink on paper sketch of Donald Duck, dated 1973. Previously owned by Leland Cobain, this item was auctioned on eBay 08/2004.
  3. Pencil on paper drawing of Goofy, featured in Brett Morgen's Cobain: Montage Of Heck documentary film.
  4. Pencil on paper drawing of Fred Flintstone, dated 1974, featured in Brett Morgen's Cobain: Montage Of Heck documentary film.
  5. Color pencil drawing of Goofy and friends. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  6. Pencil on paper drawing of Charlie Brown walking Snoopy on a leash. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  7. Pencil on paper drawing of a mean-looking Charlie Brown yanking Snoopy's leash, featured in Brett Morgen's Cobain: Montage Of Heck documentary film.
  8. Pencil on paper drawing of Frankenstein, dated 1974, featured in Brett Morgen's Cobain: Montage Of Heck documentary film.
  9. Color pen on paper drawing of DC and Marvel superheroes. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  10. Color pen and pencil/crayon drawing of Tigger mounting Winnie The Pooh on a couch. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  11. Pencil on paper drawing of a motorcyclist with "To Dad" written in a speech bubble. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  12. Pencil on paper drawing of two wrestlers. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  13. Pencil on paper drawing of a bulldog lying next to his bowl.
  14. Pencil on paper drawing of a bulldog (the Montesano Junior High School mascot) emptying a trick-or-treat bag on a doghouse. Published on the cover of mimeographed student newspaper, the Puppy Press, Halloween 1979 edition.
  15. Pencil on paper drawing of a boy attempting to cast a line out with his fishing rod, but snagging the hook in his back. This home-made Christmas card, based on a Pete Hawley illustration, was given to Kurt's grandparents, Leland and Iris Cobain, 12/1979 and was auctioned on eBay 08/2004.
  16. Coloured pencil on paper drawing of a harbor. This home-made birthday card was given to Kurt's grandmother, Iris Cobain, in 1980. Inside the card Cobain has written, "Happy Birthday Grandmother Love Kurt" in ornate lettering.
  17. Pencil and ink drawing of two boys kneeling on a street in front of a storefront. Signed at lower right "Kurt." The drawing has been aged at the edges and affixed to a wood board.
  18. Pencil on paper drawing of a boy having a picnic. This home-made Thanksgiving card was given to Kurt's father, stepmother and family in 1980. Published in Cobain Unseen.
  19. Drawing in pencil and felt tip on illustration board, circa 1982-84. Features a stylized sumo wrestler standing over the remains of two smashed guitars under a caption that reads "Trash all others! Buy a Fender." Signed "K Cobain" in orange felt tip on the lower right corner.
  20. Pencil and ink Fender guitar-themed sketch on illustration board, circa 1982-84. Signed "Kurt Cobain per 5" on the back in black ink.
  21. Pencil on paper caricature of Jimmy Carter. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  22. Pencil on paper portraits of Ronald Reagan, Buckwheat, The Beaver, Ernie and Fred Flintstone.
  23. Pencil on paper caricature of Ronald Reagan, believed to have been drawn during Kurt's 1st year at Aberdeen's Weatherwax High School. This item was auctioned on eBay 08/2004.
  24. Caricature of Michael Jackson, believed to have been drawn during Kurt's 1st year at Aberdeen's Weatherwax High School.
  25. Ink on paper drawing of an off-duty Santa Claus soaking his feet. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  26. Drawing of sperm fertilizing an ovum and developing into an embryo, believed to have been made during Kurt's junior year at Aberdeen's Weatherwax High School.
  27. Pencil on paper drawing of an electric guitar with a snake wrapped around its body.
  28. Pencil on paper drawing of the Iron Maiden mascot, published in Journals.
  29. Pencil on paper drawing of a heavily intoxicated Garfield recumbent among drug paraphernalia. Displayed at the Kurt Cobain: Más allá de la música exhibition in Chile, 2018.
  30. Cover of the Fecal Matter demo tape, Illiteracy will Prevail.
  31. Fecal Matter Illiteracy will Prevail matchbook.
  32. Drawing on early Melvins tour van (called the "Melvan") of KISS, as mentioned in CAYA.
  33. Ink on paper sketch of a Cyclops monster, published in Journals.
  34. Drawing of a homeless man.
  35. Drawing of the Virgin Mary with hollow eyes and a bleeding palm, used as a flyer to promote NIRVANA's 03/19/88 show at the Community World Theatre, Tacoma, WA.
  36. Ink on paper comic strip, titled "Food Chain."
  37. Ink on paper comic strip, titled "More Sarcasm...," published in Cobain Unseen.
  38. Pencil on paper storyboard/comic strip, titled "Reed and Maloy," published in Journals.
  39. Ink on paper comic strip, titled "Burnman," published in Journals.
  40. Ink on paper comic strip, titled "Crybaby Jerkins," published in Journals.
  41. Ink on paper comic strip, titled "Mr Moustache," published in Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana and Journals.
  42. Ink on paper comic strip, titled "The Smileys," published in Journals.
  43. Ink on paper sketch of a Bleach-era NIRVANA, published in Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana.
  44. Drawing of Chim Chim and the NIRVANA logo, used for promotional stickers.
  45. Ink on paper design of a joke album cover, titled "NIRVANA Sings... songs of DEVO WIPERS VASELINES & NIRVANA", published in Journals.
  46. Ink on paper draft of the Come As You Are video, published in Journals.
  47. Ink on paper self-portrait caricature, signed "Kurdt Kobain Rock Star" with "I don't know how to play and I don't give a hoot!" written on the top right. Previously owned by BigO photographer Jacque Chong, this item was auctioned at Julien's 06/2021.
  48. Ink on paper self-portrait caricature, titled "Kurt Don Cobain" with "Hair: Whatever; Eyes: Closed; Height: Smaller than Chris; Weight: Borderline Annorexic" written on the right. Published in Journals.
  49. Ink on card draft storyboard for the In Bloom video, featuring ideas that would later be applied to the Heart-Shaped Box video. Published in Journals.
  50. Ink on paper doodle with winding purple and black coils (intestines?), 'AAAHHH' lettering, a black trailing mass and a circle-A symbol.
  51. Ink on paper drawing of a creature with the head of a baby and the body of a spider, titled "Spiderbaby."
  52. Ink on paper sketch of a feminine-looking marionette reclining with its head resting on its right forearm; possibly made as an early study for this painting.
  53. Ink on paper sketch of a feminine-looking marionette reclining with its head resting on its right hand; possibly made as a study for this painting.
  54. Drawing of "kinderwhore"-style woman (Courtney Love?) pointing a gun in her mouth, with dream clouds of two women (Victoria Clarke and Britt Collins?) above her head. Used for the reverse cover sleeve of Sonic Youth's Whores Moaning EP release.
  55. Ink on drum-head caricature of an In Utero-era NIRVANA, published in Come As You Are: The Story Of Nirvana.
  56. Ink on paper design for the front & back of Nirvana's "Seahorse" t-shirt, with a note to ask Geffen Records Art Designer Robert Fisher about sourcing the main image written in the left margin. Published in Journals.
  57. Ink on paper design for main image of Nirvana's "Seahorse" t-shirt. Published in Journals.
  58. Ink on paper draft of the Heart-Shaped Box video.
  59. Pencil on paper drawing of a guitar, thought to be an early design idea for the Fender Jag-Stang.
  60. Pencil on paper drawing of a guitar, thought to be an early design idea for the Fender Jag-Stang.
  61. Series of ink on paper drawings illustrating different emotions, believed to have been made during Kurt's last stint in rehab.