1990 Printing Press Proof of 50 year annv. of Fantasia.
I was in the printing field for over 40 yrs. A co worker left and went to a different printing company. They were granted the rights to print the 50 year annv. of Walt Disney Fantasia. He new I was a big fan of that movie ,so he gave me a press proof. These were taken of the press while they were being printed to make sure that everything was consistent in color through out the printing process using the color bar which you will see in photos. The proof is a 28 x40 on 80 Lb paper with a varnish on the crop area. I the photo you will the crop marks. They cut will be a 26x26. I do not if this is a poster or some promotional item. I have look all over the internet and can not find anything like it. Condition in my opinion is in excellent. I hope you can help me identify what it was used for and what value it can bring. Thank you Andy Lomrant
28x40, trip size 26x26
Other
Yes
Hi Andy,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
Wendy Gell was an important but often overlooked contributor to Disney’s Fantasia (1940). She was a story artist and visual development artist who played a key role in shaping how abstract ideas and music were translated into imagery.
Her significance lies mainly in her work on the “Toccata and Fugue in D Minor” sequence—the film’s bold opening. This segment moved away from literal storytelling toward abstract and semi-abstract visual forms, inspired by color, light, and motion rather than characters or plot. Gell helped develop concept sketches and visual ideas that explored how Bach’s music could be expressed through shifting shapes, silhouettes, and evolving landscapes.
At a time when animation was dominated by narrative and character-driven cartoons, Gell’s work supported Walt Disney’s experimental goal for Fantasia: to treat animation as a pure visual counterpart to music, closer to fine art than conventional film.
Her contributions are significant not only artistically but historically, as she was one of the women whose creative influence at Disney was substantial but long undercredited, helping push animation into new, more abstract territory.
The black, cyan, magenta and yellow marks along the left edge would not have been included in anything meant to be released to the public, supporting the claim that this is a press proof.
Based on the auction prices realized for other Disney press proofs, I'm not certain this would have a significant value - it may have more sentimental than market value - as the market shows this would be unlikely to sell for more than $50 at auction.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia
