Pegasus Family

Fantasia

Released:  November 13, 1940

It should be no surprise that another piece from Fantasia has made it to my blog.  Fantasia was a feast for the eyes by combining the best that animation had to offer with some of the best classical music popular at the time.  With music from Bach’s Pastoral Symphony, Disney created a story from the mythology of centaurs, unicorns and flying horses.

                                Original production cel setup, gouache on celluloid, Courvoisier watercolor background
                                on paper with original Courvioisier certificate (shown right)

                                Supervising Animators:  Don Towsley and Harry Hamsel

                                Acquired:  May 18, 2008

In this production cel setup, Pegasus’ partner  and their children carefully make a landing into a lake near the Elysian fields.   This piece displays intricate line work and exacting detail so typical of art from Fantasia.  The multiple cel setup shows the action in the scene complete with water effects as the baby pegasi make their splash landing.  Paired with a watercolor background similar to the original used in the film, this piece comes with its Courvoisier certificate as sold in the early 1940’s, most typically for around $20 to $25 back then.

Several years back when I first started collecting animation art, I met a gentleman by the name of Jeff Lotman on one of my auction trips to New York.  Mr. Lotman had been known in the animation art community as one of the powerhouse collectors having started in the 70’s and taking an interest in preservation.  He also had published two key books on animation art, cataloging all animation sales from when the auction houses starting selling art in 1984 to 1993.  These books compiled a wealth of information on what pieces were sold, prices and provenance.   Upon studying his books over the years, I remembered seeing an almost identical cel setup selling for $28,600 at Christie’s East in New York on November 8, 1988.  I had wished and hoped that someday I would come across a cel setup similar to this one.  After years of searching, I stumbled upon an offbeat auction house that was selling a similar setup.  Needless to say I purchased the piece as birthday present to myself in 2005.  Cel setups from this scene are very rare.  In the 25 plus years i have been collecting, I have only ever two of these setups.  This is truly a rare and incredible find.

                                                         Original concept painting, watercolor on paper

                                                         Artsit:   Campbell Grant

                                                         Acquired:  May 15, 2011

A few years ago, I also stumbled upon a concept painting that surely was utilized in the development of this sequence. Painted by Campbell Grant who worked at the studio from 1934 to 1946.  He originally began as an animator at the studio and progressed with Joe Grant working in the Character Model Department.  He also voiced the part of Angus MacBadger in the Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad in 1949.  I love this simple water color painting that sets how the background artists were to visualize this scene.  If you watch the film, you will see how one idea leads to another to get to the final screen shot.