Mary Blair concept painting of Alice and the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland

(Walt Disney Studios, 1951) Incredible original concept painting by Mary Blair for Alice in Wonderland, showing Alice talking with the Cheshire Cat in his tree in the Tulgey Wood; the cat offers his trademark mischievous grin while he balances his disembodied head on his wide striped tail. Rendered in surreal shades of green, blue, and black, the moonlit scene is a superb example of Blair's artistic style—the composition dominated by striking contrasts of dark and light, as Alice and the Cat meet at the boundary between the commonplace and the supernatural. Accomplished in tempera on 9.25 x 8.5 artist's board. In fine condition, with tack holes at corners.

Blair was a concept artist for Disney during the 1940s and early 1950s, working on designs for such films as Peter Pan, Cinderella, and Alice in Wonderland. She also created designs for several Disney attractions (including It's a Small World), and her largest work ever, the multi-story mosaic in Disney World's Contemporary Hotel concourse. A marvelous, fantastical example of Blair's original artwork, boasting two of Disney's most desirable characters in a well-composed scene.