Gustaf Tenggren (1896 - 1970) was a Swedish-American illustrator who is especially known for his wor

Gustaf Tenggren (1896 - 1970) was a Swedish-American illustrator who is especially known for his work during the Golden Age of American animation in the late 1930’s when he worked on concepts for The Walt Disney Company. He was clearly influenced by another great illustrator, Arthur Rackham, for part of his career.  Gustaf was the second youngest of seven children. In his early life, living in Sweden, he became very close with his grandfather, for his father had left to work in the U.S. Gustaf helped support his family only at 11 years old by apprenticing at a lithographer's shop. In 1910, only 13 years old, he won a scholarship to attend the school for arts and crafts in Gothenburg, Slöjdföreningens skola. Yet he continued to also work and support his fatherless family. He won another scholarship in 1914 and soon went onto get illustration commissions and decorate scenes for the town theater.  In 1918 he married his first wife, Anna Peterson. The couple left for the U.S. in 1920 for Cleveland, Ohio. Later on they moved to New York City, a place of major prosperity for Gustaf. He re-married to Malin (Molly) Froberg in 1930 and moved away from the city to upstate New York. After being a farmer for 5 years, he moved back to New York City. In 1935 he became an Art Director for Walt Disney’s studios to work on the animated film Snow White. He also worked on concept art for Bambi, Fantasia and a few other Disney films. His greatest contribution was to Pinocchio. Later he ventured onto children’s books with The Golden Press and worked on books such as The Poky Little Puppy.  It is hard to place Tenggren in a particular movement. While his work was very classical for Walt Disney, once he left the company he changed his style drastically. When he created his Little Golden Books it almost appears as a different person rendered them.   At the end of his life, Gustaf and his wife Malin settled in Maine. From frequent smoking, on April 6, 1970 he died from lung cancer. His wife, who lived 12 more years without him, donated his artwork to the University of Minnesota which is now part of the Kerlan Collection of Children’s Literature. -- source link

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