Clark Ashton Smith (1893-1961) was a writer, sculptor and poet, and part of H.P. Lovecraft's inner circle of friends and fellow writers, known for publishing numerous fantasy and horror-themed short stories in Weird Tales magazine in the early 20th century. Born in Auburn, California, he lived most of his life in a modest country house. He never attended any college, but his extraordinary education was mainly self-taught and he learnt the works of Poe and Dunsany by heart.

He is remembered for his ability to infuse his fiction with a very strong visual component, with great attention to aesthetics and description of the smallest details. Like his friend Lovecraft, Smith contributed to the creation of a narrative made up of fantastic worlds characterised by an exotic and at the same time decadent imagery, in which myth and fantasy are intertwined. Thus it was that mythical places of the popular imagination such as Atlantis, Hyperborea or Averoigne became the lands of his tales, full of magic, strange creatures, occultism, horror and sorcery, in an aesthetically pleasing plot.

In the 1930s, Smith began publishing some of his most famous tales, such as the saga of the imaginary world of Zothique, the last continent on which magic still survived on earth. The link with H.P. Lovecraft was central throughout his career, but while Lovecraft focused mainly on themes of cosmic horror and the insignificance of man, Smith dwelled more on describing exotic and sensual worlds, rich in colours, smells and colourful creatures. This penchant for detail made him famous as a writer who 'paints with words'. Not surprisingly, in addition to his work as a writer, Smith also worked as a painter and sculptor, giving physical substance to his fantastic visions through sculptures and paintings. This multidisciplinary artistry also earned him praise from Lovecraft himself, who cited him in one of his short stories, The Mountains of Madness, as one of the most "remarkable American artists of the time".