Art Notes

There is little doubt that The Jungle Book remains one of the most delightful and warmly received of all of the Disney animated films. This re-telling of the classic Rudyard Kipling tale is the last film that Walt Disney was involved with both in terms of production and writing before his death in 1966. "Let's have fun with it," Walt was often quoted as saying to his animation staff about their efforts on the film. And that is exactly what the talent pool of The Walt Disney Studios did with the story of Mowgli, the Indian jungle boy raised by wolves, befriended by bears and panthers and stalked by pythons and tigers. But beyond Walt's simple desire, The Jungle Book also set a high benchmark in relation to animation, musical score and storytelling to which all of the Disney cartoon classics aspire. These original intents of Disney inspired this adaptation by Thomas Kinkade Studios.

      The narrative panoramic style of the collection is fully realized on this canvas with each of the film's many enchanting scenes captured to delight fans of all ages. The chaos of King Louie, the joy of the baby elephant walk and the waterside romance at the "man village" were all integrated into the painting's completion. And at the center of it all is Mowgli the man cub, the evil tiger Shere Khan, the wise panther Bagheera and Baloo, the lovable if lazy Poppa Bear. Set in a verdant jungle and highlighted by flowers, waterfalls and palms, one can almost smell the canopied gardenias, sense the rushing of the water and hear the chatter of the monkeys in the trees. Indeed, the magic of Walt Disney as interpreted by Thomas Kinkade Studios has never been more likely to transport the collector to the experience of the cinematic moment. Let us all take that journey, "have fun with it" and "look for the bare necessities of life!"