^Lot 619 Disney: Fantasia

Visually striking Fantastic original one-of-a-kind unsigned watercolor and pencil character sketch of a young faun picking berries, done by artist M. Schwartzman in 1939, 9.25 x 7, for The Pastoral Symphony portion of Fantasia. Vibrant art work shows the faun reaching for a bunch of berries. Matted and framed to an overall size of 14.75 x 11.75. Backing of frame bears an informational label providing details of the sketch including “Production #2004; Sketch #010; Artist: M. Schwartzman; dated: 8/24/39.” In fine condition.

In search of a piece of music grand enough to tell a story of classical mythology, teeming with fauns, centaurs, cupids, and the gods, the Studio selected Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony for this segment of Fantasia. The cast of characters in this setting opens up the world of Disney to a truly mythic place, and to capture the uniqueness of the scene, the animators were given free rein to use whatever colors they desired from the Disney Studio’s in-house paint lab. The result is a segment unlike any other, with brilliant backgrounds and vibrantly created characters, including the flute-loving, half-man, half-goat fauns, one of which is pictured here. A rare example of the character and colors that made this segment legendary, from the historic Christie’s Basmajian Collection sale.