"Inspiring Walt Disney" Exhibit Now on Display!

Walt Disney was always fascinated by the art and architecture of Europe, and it heavily influenced his artwork in early Walt Disney Animation Studios’ films and the design of Disneyland. Check out where you can see this amazing new exhibit comparing works of French Decorative Art and the creations of Walt Disney.

Art Exhibit

The exhibit will be on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City from December 10, 2021-March 6, 2022. It is the first-ever exhibition at the Met exploring the art of Walt Disney.

The exhibit will feature sixty works of 18th century European decorative arts and design – including tapestries, furniture, clocks and porcelain.

Comparisons will also be drawn to elements of European architecture that inspired Walt Disney such as this Statue of Uta at Naumburg Cathedral in Germany. It is said to have influenced the look of the Queen from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

These will be featured alongside 150 production artworks and works on paper from the Walt Disney Animation Research Library, Walt Disney Archives, Walt Disney Imagineering Collection, and the Walt Disney Family Museum.

One of the many pieces on display will be this beautiful Sleeping Beauty prop storybook which draws inspiration from the Lindau Gospels and, in the movie, was shown in front of a medieval tapestry inspired by the Lady and the Unicorn series of tapestries.

This beautiful introductory shot of the film immediately transports you into the world of medieval Europe.

The exhibition will highlight references to European visual culture in Disney animated films, including nods to Gothic Revival architecture in Cinderella, medieval influences in Sleeping Beauty, and Rococo inspired objects brought to life in Beauty and the Beast.

On display will be many clocks that influenced the design of Cogsworth, porcelain teapots that inspired Mrs Potts and candlesticks that the design of Lumiere was based on in the film.