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An exquisite pair of original production drawings from Walt Disney's Fantasia (1940), depicting the centaur Brutus and centaurette Melinda from the film's celebrated "Pastoral Symphony" sequence.
Rendered in graphite and colour pencil on studio animation paper, the drawings include intricate pigment notations by Disney's colour stylists, identifying the palette for each element from ribbons and tails to hooves and floral garlands. These notes, made in the margins by the film's ink and paint department, show the precise coordination between artists that gave Fantasia its extraordinary visual harmony.
Created during Disney's most ambitious period, the "Pastoral Symphony" sequence reimagined Beethoven's Sixth Symphony as a mythological vision of ancient Greece, populated by cherubs, fauns, centaurs, and gods of Olympus. Within this painterly landscape, the centaurs Brutus and Melinda represent both the technical precision and lyrical charm that defined the studio's work at the time. Brutus, drawn with bold anatomical confidence, captures the strength and motion of the horse's body, while Melinda's delicate colouring and graceful posture convey warmth and character.
These drawings come from a time when animation at Disney was evolving into a fine art form, guided by the belief that moving images could evoke the same emotional depth as music or painting. Every line in these studies served a purpose: to test balance, colour, and proportion before being transferred to cel. The visible annotations such as "Sky Blue", "Orchid", and "Black Tail" not only record the production process but reveal the collaborative artistry behind one of the most visually innovative films ever produced.
Fantasia marked a defining moment in cinematic history, a synthesis of art and music that broke boundaries and redefined what an animated feature could achieve. The "Pastoral Symphony" remains one of the most technically and aesthetically accomplished sequences ever created at Walt Disney Studios, representing the height of the studio's Golden Age.
Surviving drawings of this calibre are exceedingly rare, particularly paired examples like these which together encapsulate the romantic spirit, artistic ambition, and timeless beauty of Disney's most experimental masterpiece. Dimensions: 85 cm x 54.5 cm x 3.25 cm (33.5" x 21.5" x 1.25")
Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.
Estimate: £2,000 - 4,000 Ω
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