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A rare and beautiful original production drawing of Snow White from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), the landmark film that defined Walt Disney's golden age of animation.

Released in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the world's first full-length cel-animated feature film. It revolutionised both animation and filmmaking, earning Walt Disney an honorary Academy Award® (a full-sized Oscar accompanied by seven miniature statuettes) and setting the visual and emotional standard for all that followed. Supervised by Grim Natwick and Hamilton Luske, and inspired by live-action reference performed by dancer Marge Champion, the animation of Snow White marked a turning point in cinematic storytelling, where emotion, subtlety, and human expression took precedence over cartoon exaggeration.

This drawing comes from the celebrated "Silly Song" sequence, also known as The Dwarfs' Yodel Song, in which Snow White dances with the Seven Dwarfs inside their woodland cottage. It was a defining moment in both the film and animation history, a sequence where rhythm, gesture, and personality blended seamlessly with music to create one of Disney's most joyful and technically sophisticated scenes. Rendered in graphite and red pencil on large 16-field animation paper, this delicate study captures Snow White mid-dance, gracefully lifting her skirt and tilting her head with joy. The composition radiates movement and musicality, its lines alive with the charm and optimism that made the character so enduring. It features a production stamp in the lower left corner.

The piece is attributed to Marc Davis, one of Walt Disney's legendary Nine Old Men, and represents his very first feature-film animation for the studio. Davis later confirmed in interviews that his first assignment as an animator was the scene of Snow White dancing with the dwarves. This sequence showcased his extraordinary talent for grace, anatomy, and performance. His initials, written in the distinctive form he used throughout his Disney career, appear on this drawing.

The red underdrawing reveals the construction phase, the loose planning of rhythm and motion, while the refined graphite linework shows the clean-up stage, where personality and form are locked in. A faint green pencil shadow guide under Snow White's feet indicates lighting and grounding for the ink and paint department, offering a glimpse into the multi-layered production process of the 1930s studio.

This drawing is not only a masterclass in hand-drawn performance but also a historic piece of Disney legacy, connecting directly to the moment Davis began the journey that would shape his illustrious career, later creating characters such as Cinderella, Tinker Bell, Aurora, and Maleficent. A large, graceful, and historically significant work of art, representing the heart of Disney's first masterpiece and the dawn of one of animation's greatest careers. Dimensions: 32 cm x 39.25 cm (12.5" x 15.5")

Sold without copyright; see copyright notice in the Terms and Conditions.

Estimate: £1,500 - 3,000 Ω

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