The Rescuers, Pre-Production Background: The Swamp Folk's House (1977)

Year: 1977

Film: The Rescuers Studio: Walt Disney

Artist: James Coleman (color stylist & background artist)

Artwork: Original pre-production background Medium: Gouache on 16-field production board

Background size: Approx. 40.6 × 29.2 cm (16" × 11.5")

Scene: Approx. 1h08min42 into the film

Setting depicted: The Swamp Folk's house at Devil's Bayou, large cypress tree, house built around a barrel 

Annotation on verso: "Dark Gray 2519 .008 Sc. 32" 

Condition: Very Good - minor handling and edge wear consistent with production use

Provenance: James Coleman Collection

Custom Framing

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About This Work

There is something hypnotic about this swamp. James Coleman (color stylist and direct heir to the great Disney background tradition) conceived this setting before the film had even begun to animate. The ancient cypress, the small house built around a barrel, the murky light of Devil's Bayou, all of it is there, painted in gouache on a single 16-field board. Coming directly from his personal collection, this is a piece that tells as much about the making of the film as it does about the film itself.