Eyvind Earle (1916-2000), American artist, illustrator, author, poet and Disney Legend®, is probably best known to the general public as the man responsible for the styling, color and backgrounds of Walt Disney’s "Sleeping Beauty" (1959), giving that beloved classic its sumptuous and dazzling medieval look. His ambitious design and intense dedication to detail on each of Sleeping Beauty’s backgrounds continue to be the main force behind the movie’s classification as one of the most artistically distinct Disney films to date. His concept art also helped shape such enduring Disney favorites as "Peter Pan" (1953) and "Lady and the Tramp" (1955).

Earle’s work, found in the personal collections of filmmakers Guillermo del Toro and Peter Jackson, writer Dean Koontz and others, is recognized for its truly original perception of landscape that simultaneously captured the grandeur and simplicity of the American countryside. His work portrayed the natural landscape’s atmosphere, color and lighting, and conveyed, through suggestions of distance, landmass and mood, the magical, awe-inspiring spirit of the elements. This exhibition celebrates Earle as one of the most innovative landscape masters of his time—inspiring a new generation of artists working today.

To this day, much of Earle’s work remains unclassifiable—neither contemporary nor classic—with perhaps one of the more predominant features of his master landscapes being large geometric forms, employed to their fullest to bring a supernatural aura to everything from hills to distant waves. Earle’s unique technique has been praised for its delicate mood as much as its meticulous attention to detail.

In 2015, the Walt Disney Company posthumously awarded Earle the prestigious Disney Legend® Award for his work on "Sleeping Beauty" and his invaluable contributions to the art of animation.

Ioan Szasz, CEO, Eyvind Earle Publishing, Curator