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Lot description
BAMBI (1942) - Bambi, Thumper & Butterfly "First Word" Hand-Painted Limited Edition #354/500, Framed - A stunning hand-painted limited edition cel from Walt Disney's Bambi, featuring Bambi, Thumper, and a butterfly in the iconic "first word" sequence. Hand-painted on cel and numbered 354/500, this limited edition is presented on a meticulously recreated pan background that captures one of Disney's most beloved moments from Scene 14, Sequence 2.2 of Bambi. The artwork shows Bambi exploring the forest with Thumper when he encounters his first butterfly, leading to his first spoken word "bird" - much to Thumper's amusement as he explains that it's actually a butterfly. The sweeping forest background, faithfully reproduced by Disney background artists using original paintings and sketches as reference, recreates the atmospheric woodland style pioneered by Tyrus Wong. Bambi premiered in 1942 as Disney's fifth animated feature, representing the studio's most naturalistic and emotionally sophisticated work to date. Tyrus Wong's impressionistic, watercolor-based approach, influenced by Eastern art traditions, was personally chosen by Walt Disney to create a softer, more atmospheric forest environment than previous Disney films. Wong's innovative style set new standards for environmental storytelling, proving that backgrounds could enhance narrative emotion rather than simply provide decorative settings. The "first word" sequence exemplifies Disney's ability to find profound meaning in simple moments, transforming a young deer's vocabulary lesson into a touching exploration of friendship and learning. Wong's atmospheric backgrounds perfectly complement these intimate character moments, creating visual poetry that elevated animation to fine art. This limited edition exists because original production artwork from Bambi has become virtually unobtainable. The 1942 production predated systematic art preservation, and surviving original material commands museum-level prices when it appears at auction. Disney's official recreation program, produced in 1992, used traditional animation techniques and a special six-step xerographic process to transfer the original animation drawings to acetate cels, which were then hand-painted with Disney-approved acrylic colors. This sold-out limited edition represents the highest quality Disney collectible art available, preserving Tyrus Wong's revolutionary artistic vision when original production material remains beyond reach for most collectors. Estimate: $800 - 1,600 Bidding for this lot will end on Friday, March 27th. The auction will begin at 2:00 PM (PDT) / 5:00 PM (EDT) / 9:00 PM (GMT) and lots are sold sequentially via live auctioneer; tune in to the live streaming broadcast on auction day to follow the pace. Note other lots in the auction may close on Wednesday, March 25th or Thursday, March 26th.