(Walt Disney Studios, 1959) Dramatic original panoramic concept painting by Eyvind Earle for Sleeping Beauty, showing Prince Phillip fighting Maleficent within the crumbling ramparts of her ancient castle. Wearing a bright red hero's cape, Prince Phillip valiantly defends himself with his 'Sword of Truth' and 'Shield of Virtue' as the immense fire-breathing dragon readies her attack. Executed in dark hues of green, gray, black, and purple, the action-packed piece offers an unusually close depiction of this sensational battle. Accomplished in gouache on 27.25 x 9 artist's board, signed in the lower right corner in white paint by Eyvind Earle. In fine condition, with tack holes to corners.
Legendary 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. His talents are most evident in this design from the film's climactic conclusion, one of the studio's most ambitious sequences ever conceived.
