(Walt Disney Studios, 1959) Wonderful original concept painting by Eyvind Earle for Sleeping Beauty, which portrays the Royal coach as it makes its way to the distant castle of King Stefan and Queen Leah. Earle imbues the scene with a vivid and dreamlike quality, contrasting the transition from forest to open space with a brilliant light and dark contrast. The central coach, with its trumpeting riders and galloping horses, lends soul and life to the scene, as does the high setting sun placed directly above the mountainous faraway castle. The lushness of the painting is likewise not to be ignored, with Earle, as he is wont to do, adding an array of his trademark trees and bushes to fill out the scene into a complete and engrossing fairy tale vista. Accomplished in gouache on 10 x 5 artist's board, with Earle signing in purple paint in the lower right corner. Archivally mounted and framed with a plaque to an overall size of 18 x 13.25. In fine condition, with tack holes to corners. Disney artist Eyvind Earle was Sleeping Beauty's production designer, and Disney gave him a significant amount of freedom in designing the settings and selecting colors for the film. Earle also painted the majority of the backgrounds himself, and his stylistic influence is readily apparent in the final product.
