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Saturday, January 9, 2016

Original Production Animation Cel of Maleficent From "Sleeping Beauty," 1959


Original hand painted and hand inked production cel of Maleficent set on a lithographic background from "Sleeping Beauty," 1959; Size - Maleficent 6" x 4 1/2", Image 7 1/4 x 10"; Unframed.


"Are you sure you searched everywhere?" - Maleficent

If you ask people to name their favorite Disney Villain, chances are you will one of three answers; The Evil Queen/Witch from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," Cruella DeVil from "101 Dalmatians," or Maleficent from "Sleeping Beauty." Two of the three, Cruella and Maleficent, were created/drawn by the great animator Marc Davis. Davis was part of what has been dubbed Disney's Nine Old Men; the core group of animators, some becoming directors, that created the finest animated films ranging from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", 1937 to "The Rescuers", 1977.

The voice of Maleficent was performed by Eleanor Audley. She had worked for Disney prior by also being the voice for the cold and calculating Lady Tremaine (The Stepmother) in "Cinderella." If is known that Frank Thomas for Lady Tremaine and Marc Davis for Maleficent, incorporated facials features of Eleanor into both characters.


Original production cel of Maleficent without the background.

This wonderful cel of Maleficent is from the scene in Maleficent's Castle when she is furious over the fact that her Goons (after 16 years) have not been able to find Princess Aurora. Maleficent screams, "It's incredible! 16 years, and not a trace of her! She couldn't have vanished into thin air! Are you sure you searched everywhere?" The pose is just perfect, with both eyes open and her right eye wider than the left. Her finger is resting on her chin as she ponders whether her Goons are being truthful about the fact that they searched everywhere. She is grasping her staff with her left hand and you can see her large ring on the index finger of her right hand. A rare and impressive pose from one of the greatest Disney Villains of all time!

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