Mowgli and Bagheera

The Jungle Book

Released:  October 18, 1967

With the advent of xerographic technology introduced in the late 1950’s and first used on Sleeping Beauty, the feature films of the 1960’s tried a new approach to animation.  By xeroxing the animator’s original drawings as the basis for the painted cel, the studio felt that the animator’s expression would more clearly make it to the screen.  Starting in 1961 with the release of 101 Dalmatians, all films during the 1960’s were animated in this style.  The Jungle Book took full advantage of this more modern look by blending the painted rough look of the artist drawings onscreen with the more colorful and stylized backgrounds settings.  

The last feature animation film that Walt was intimately involved with was the Jungle Book before his death on December 15, 1966.  This film would test Disney’s closest associates in animation, whom later became know as the “Nine Old Men”.  Without Walt’s persona and influence on the overall story and project, the animation studio was now challenged on how to best carry out the legacy without its original creator.   Released less than a year after his passing in1966, the Jungle Book was positively received by the public and went on to gross over $74 million in the US at the time.   Featuring memorable characters and wonderful songs by the Sherman Brothers, the Jungle Book story played well against the new stylized animation and colorful settings popular in 1960’s. 

                                       Original concept painting, watercolor on board

                                           Artist: Studio, unknown

                                           Acquired:  February 12, 2009

The concept painting depicted here is a wonderful example of the where the studio artists continued to test out new stylizes for animation.  Here you have Mowgli and Bagheera exploring the Jungle in a very colorful, painterly style.  This concept painting shows an early feeling for modern 60’s animation with its broad brushstrokes and layers of simple color.  If you look closely, you will discover this style throughout the final film.  It comes complete with pinholes and most likely was posted on one of the many development boards as the artist worked on the film.

I first saw this painting in Los Angeles at my first live Bonhams auction on Sunset Boulevard in 2004.  I flew my oldest nephew out from Ohio to meet me for one of Howard Lowery's auctions earlier in the week and a fun trip to Disneyland for his birthday.  Originally my nephew was to fly back to Ohio before the Bonhams auction was to start, but as luck would have it, LA traffic was horrible and we missed getting him to his flight.   So lucky for him he got to spend the better part the day with me and attended another animation auction at Bonhams.   As we strolled through the exhibit that morning, we both noticed this lot from Jungle book and loved the look the piece.  During this sale there were actually two pieces offered in the lot with the other being a wider piece with Mowgli riding an elephant, perhaps Colonel Hathi, painted in the same style.  Unfortunately I was not able to acquire the lot at the time.   Several years later it was offered to me and I was able to purchase it privately from another animation colleague.  Again, I love that art has a soul and a way of finding you a second time.