Take this dazzling tour of rarely seen official art that captures the essence of classic TV shows

Images: The Everett Collection

Most TV and movie fans are familiar with concept art, which depicts the vision a creator has for a project, but you may not be as familiar with the concept of key art. That's the image that emerges once a show's concept has been firmed up, and a lot of work goes into it, so that in just one image, anyone can see exactly what your TV show will be all about.

The key art is primarily used internally to direct all the marketing of new shows, so before you turned on The Brady Bunch or Bonanza, these were the images passed between artists on set to make sure the vibe of each show was always in sync with its creator's vision.

For that reason, these pieces are also rarely seen by the public, which is why key art from classic TV resonates on a whole other level with fans. These true masterpieces capture the essence of classic shows, whether it's Wagon Train or Taxi, expect each piece to be a total trip.

That makes classic TV's key art both a total treasure and an extra wonder, which you'll see for yourself as you tour these dazzling selections below:

The Everett Collection The Brady Bunch

The Everett Collection Captain Kangaroo

The Everett Collection The Dick Van Dyke Show

The Everett Collection Bonanza

The Everett Collection Bonanza

The Everett Collection Taxi

The Everett Collection The Lucy Show

The Everett Collection Buck Rogers in the 25th Century

The Everett Collection Battlestar Galactica

The Everett Collection Mork & Mindy

The Everett Collection The Banana Splits

The Everett Collection Fantasy Island

The Everett Collection Police Woman

The Everett Collection Wagon Train

Did you have a favorite? Tell us in the comments!

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