The fourth volume of the critically acclaimed and groundbreaking series of Disney art books, They Drew As They Pleased: The Hidden Art of Disney’s Mid-Century Era, has just been released and it’s another success for famed Disney historian Didier Ghez, as he examines the fascinating history of the Walt Disney Animation Studios as never seen before.
In the 1950s and 1960s, as the United States was bolstered by postwar optimism, the Walt Disney Studios embarked on a creative revolution brought on by the mid-century modern and graphic sensibilities of a new wave of artists. Disney fans will be familiar with two key developments during this time: Disney’s entry into the world of television, and the 1955 opening of Disneyland – an entirely new and exciting venture for the company. The story that is lesser known is the challenge for Walt Disney and his studio’s young artists to delight traditional Disney audiences while creatively embracing modernity.
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