Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) British, Preliminary artwork for the 1970s re-release. Gouache on paper.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) British, Preliminary artwork for the 1970s re-release. Gouache on paper

Artist: John Stockle (1928-2000)

Unframed: 16 1/2 x 24 1/4 in. (42 x 61.5 cm)

Framed: 21 3/4 x 29 3/4 in. (55.2 x 75.5 cm)

John Stockle designed hundreds of film posters during his career whilst at Dixons and Downton advertising agencies. This piece is a preliminary design for the re-release of the film in the 1970s, and was not selected for use in the poster campaign.

This is a unique preliminary artwork.

This was Walt Disney's first feature animation and when it was released in 1937 was welcomed as a magical marvel. Disney estimated the cost of making this animation at $250,000, which was already ten times as much as making one of his short animations. However, it ended up costing a staggering 1.5 million dollars, with Disney having to mortgage his home to help finance the film. Luckily it ended up being a gamble worth taking, as the film grossed over 8 million dollars in its international first release, and was one of the most successful films of the decade.