Thursday, January 9, 2020

Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision at the MFA Boston

Luminous and often haunting, Kay Nielsen’s interpretations of classic fairy tales are among the most celebrated book illustrations of the 20th century. Showcasing more than 45 dramatic watercolors, drawings, and illustrated books from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection, “Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision” celebrates the Danish artist’s significant achievements in illustration while highlighting some of his work in theater design and animation.
Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision at the MFA Boston

Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision: The Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection- on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston July 20, 2019 through January 20, 2020.


Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision at the MFA Boston

Chernabog is a demon featured in the "Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria" segment of the 1940 Disney animated feature film, Fantasia. He is based on the God of the Night in Slavic mythology. At Walpurgis Night (the Witches' Sabbath), he emerges from the peak of Bald Mountain (in reality Mount Triglav in Slovenia) to summon all of his minions, who dance furiously as he throws them into the mountain's fiery pit.
Concept drawing for Disney's Fantasia featuring Chernabog

Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision: The Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection- on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston July 20, 2019 through January 20, 2020.


Kay Nielsen was born in Copenhagen into an artistic family; both of his parents were actors - Nielsen's father, Martinus Nielsen, was the director of Dagmarteater and his mother, Oda Nielsen, was one of the most celebrated actresses of her time, both at the Royal Danish Theater and at the Dagmarteater.[1] Kay Nielsen studied art in Paris at Académie Julian and Académie Colarossi from 1904 to 1911,[2] and then lived in England from 1911 to 1916. He received his first English commission from Hodder and Stoughton to illustrate a collection of fairy tales, providing 24 colour plates and more than 15 monotone illustrations for In Powder and Crinoline, Fairy Tales Retold by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch in 1913. In the same year, Nielsen was also commissioned by The Illustrated London News to produce a set of four illustrations to accompany the tales of Charles Perrault; Nielsen's illustrations for 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Puss in Boots', 'Cinderella' and 'Bluebeard' were published in the 1913 Christmas Edition.

The work of celebrated Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen is featured at the MFA Boston through January 20th. Born in Copenhagen in 1887, Kay was the son of two noted actors- Martinus & Oda Nielsen of the Royal Danish Theater. He would study art in Paris at the Académie Julian and Académie Colarossi before moving to England in 1911 where he first exhibited work and was commissioned to illustrate a collection of fairy tales. 

“In Powder and Crinoline: Fairy Tales retold by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch,”
 “In Powder and Crinoline" Fairy Tales retold by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch would be that first book and is on view here along with more than 40 drawings, watercolors & other books. There's even a dress by Karl Lagarfeld inspired by the works of Nielsen.

“Flowers and Flames,” 1921, opaque watercolor and metallic paint, over graphite. 

“Flowers and Flames,” 1921, opaque watercolor and metallic paint, over graphite.

"East of the Sun and West of the Moon" (Norwegian: Østenfor sol og vestenfor måne) is a Norwegian fairy tale.

Illustration by Kay Nielsen from East of the Sun and West of the Moon (1914)

Illustration by Kay Nielsen from East of the Sun and West of the Moon (1914)


There was an appetite in the early twentieth century for luxurious collections of children’s stories, often bound in gold-toothed vellum, to be given as gifts. Brilliant artists of the day including Arthur Rackham and Edmund Dulac were commissioned to illustrate them. Perhaps one of the finest creations to emerge from this golden age of illustration was an edition of East of the Sun and West of the Moon which boasted twenty-five colour plates and many more monochrome images by Kay Nielsen, a young Danish artist who had studied in Paris before moving to England in 1911. The compendium consists of fifteen fairy tales gathered by the Norwegian folklorists Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe on their journeys across mid nineteenth-century Norway. Translated into English by George Webbe Dasent (1817–1896), the stories — populated by witches, trolls, ogres, sly foxes, mysterious bears, beautiful princesses and shy country lads turned heroes — were praised by Jacob Grimm himself for having a freshness and a fullness that “surpasses nearly all others”.
Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision at the MFA Boston
Nielsen's next project would be "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" in 1914 which included 25 full color plates as well as a number of monochrome drawings. Deemed “One of the finest collections of fairy tales ever published” by Alison Lurie of the New York Times when writing of it in 1977. Comprised of fifteen tales collected by Norwegian folklorists Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Engebretsen. 

Many of the earliest children's books, particularly those dating back to the 1850s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. Pook Press are working to republish these classic works in affordable, high quality, colour editions, using the original text and artwork so these works can delight another generation of children. Kay Nielsen (1886-1957) was a Danish illustrator of the golden age of illustration. He was influenced by Japanese art and the Swedish fairy tale illustrator John Bauer and contributed to the Art Nouveau movement. His illustrations are bold, and vibrant - often reproduced by a 4-colour process which set him apart from his contemporaries who typically used a 3-colour process. His art is characterised by long, swooping lines, open spaces and a certain macabre quality and his ephemeral illustrations are intricately inventive, flirting with implausibility. The shift in taste from fantasy to realism after WWII meant that Nielsen did not retain his pre-war popularity. However, interest in his exquisite illustrations has since been revived, and they now command a high price in today's art world.
Illustration from “Hansel and Gretel and Other Stories” by the Brothers Grimm

The First World War would dampen the market for lavishly illustrated children's books and Neilsen would turn his talents towards the stage, designing costumes and set designs for a number of productions. After the war Nielsen would return to illustration for books based on the the Brothers Grimm, and Hans Christian Andersen, among others. 



Neilsen set out for Hollywood in the 1930's and would end up working for Disney helping set the tone for for the European Alps in films such as Snow White & Pinocchio. A stand out piece on view at the MFA is a concept drawing for Fantasia, and some of his drawings would be included in the "Night at Bald Mountain" and "Ava Maria" sequences of the film. Neilsen was even involved in the original concept art for a Little Mermaid movie in the 1950's, but that movie would not be made until 1989. 


The show at the MFA is up through January 20th, definitely check it out of you get the chance.




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