(Walt Disney Studios, 1959) Beautiful original mini panorama concept painting by Eyvind Earle for Sleeping Beauty, which depicts Briar Rose in a forest shortly before the arrival of Prince Phillip and the film’s memorable 'Once Upon a Dream' musical sequence. Earle masterfully fills the scene with contrasting elements of size and light—a great stand of trees tower above a small garden of ferns, and the dark woods and running shadows are cut with lines of sunlight that tunnel the viewer’s perspective to the scene’s lone character, Briar Rose, shown seated against a tree trunk, her demeanor expressing both a sense of loneliness and contentment. Accomplished in gouache on 15.25 x 6.25 artist's board, signed in the lower right corner in light blue paint, "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.
