Kay Nielsen: One of the Greatest Illustrators of the Twentieth Century

Illustration commonly combines the literary and the visual arts, making it particularly loved by book lovers. I’m excited to explore some of the world’s greatest illustrators in this newsletter! Up first, let’s take a look at the work of Danish artist, Kay (pronounced Kai) Nielsen.

Nielsen’s broad career—which spanned two world wars—included work in theater, animation, and fashion design, but he is best known for his decorative illustrations of fairy tales, such as those by the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Anderson.

A page from Taschen’s The Fairy Tales: Grimm and Anderson, 2 in 1

As Meghan Melvin wrote in her book, Kay Nielsen: An Enchanted Vision, “Nielsen’s broad cultural and historical interests, as well as what the New York Times called his ‘sense of the supernatural,’ are reflected in highly detailed patterned images that reveal his love of Norse mythology as well as his knowledge of Japanese woodblock prints and Persian miniatures.”

Throughout his career, Nielsen also noted the influences of several other artistic traditions, including the Italian Renaissance, Chinese landscapes, and other work from the Art Nouveau movement. In the harmonious way that he weaves such inspirations into the creation of his own original style, I’m reminded of the benefits of introducing our children and students to a diversity of art forms.

“The Giant who had no Heart in his Body”, from East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Nielsen’s use of negative space combined with elegant, patterned line work make for dramatic moments of narrative that pair well with the sorts of stories told by those who believe that children combat their fears by imagining themselves up against the monsters in exciting tales.

The first published fairy tales Nielsen worked on were those of fellow Dane, Hans Christian Andersen:

Nielsen’s Illustration for “Lad in a Battle” by Hans Christian Andersen, 1914

And then she lay on the little green patch, in the midst of the gloomy thick wood. From "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," 1914. Taschen 2015 edition.

“And when I get back and am tired, and rest in the wood, then I hear the Nightingale sing,” 1923

“And flitted away as far as they could from the Castle that lay East of the Sun and West of the Moon,” 1913.

Nielsen also worked on stories by the Brothers Grimm:

A kind of cloud came from the tree, and in the middle was a burning fire, and out of the fire came a pretty bird, 1925, “The Juniper Tree”

Illustration to “The Two Brothers” from Hansel and Gretel and Other Stories by the Brothers Grimm. [biblio.com]

“They saw that the cottage was made of bread and cakes,” 1924. Illustration to "Hansel and Gretel," from Nielsen's Hansel and Gretel and Other Stories by the Brothers Grimm

Nielsen’s illustration for “The Six Swans” by Brothers Grimm

“He looked at the little lady, and she looked at him, and he felt himself melting away. But still he stood steadfast, with his musket held trim on his shoulder.” Illustration for “The Steadfast Tin Soldier”, 1924; Image: Taschen’s Fairy Tales of Brother’s Grimm

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Earlier in his career, Nielsen created a series of fascinating illustrations of Joan of Arc that became quite popular when she was canonized in 1920. As Melvin put it, “The image [below] reads as a theater set, with a receding hillscape reminiscent of medieval illuminated manuscripts and early Italian paintings.”

How Joan the Maid, clad in page’s dress, had an audience of the Dauphin Charles,” from the Joan of Arc series, 1914

“Meditations on maternal love, sacred and secular, recur in Nielsen’s work,” writes Melville.

Kay Nielsen, Our Lady of Sorrows, about 1920

“An…image depicts Mary, the mother of Jesus, as Our Lady of Sorrows, with her heart pierced by five swords. Nielsen heightens the symbolism of this dramatic image with a floral border of bleeding hearts, a flower typically associated with Mary, underscoring the pain of a mother grieving for her beloved son.”

Meanwhile, in 1940, Nielsen was hired by Disney to work on the movie Fantasia, for which he created one of the most powerful sequences in all of the Disney canon, the “Night on Bald Mountain,” which, Melvin notes, is “reminiscent of creatures in the Italian master Giotto’s fresco The Last Judgment” (see the next two images, to compare).

Kay Nielsen’s concept drawing for "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence of Fantasia, 1940.

Giotto’s Last Judgment fresco, dated 1306

Soon after working on Fantasia, Nielsen began concept art for an upcoming film version of “The Little Mermaid” but what he produced was ultimately considered too dark.

Nielsen’s concept drawings for The Little Mermaid

As it turns out, Nielsen entered the scene at a time when Disney (and much of the war-torn world) was more interested in comfortable, less reflective forms of illustration—the simply pretty over the mysteriously complex beautiful. He and Disney parted ways and his hired work in illustration slowed down in his later years; he created a few murals for churches and local schools before ultimately becoming a chicken farmer.

It was decades before his decadent style of illustration gained significant interest again. In this cozy winter season, Nielsen’s beautiful Nordic vibe rouses me to pour a cup of tea and revisit a beloved fairy tale or two.

Nordic Scene, 1910s-30, Kay Nielsen

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Don't forget we’re giving away a copy of Kay Nielsen: An Enchanted Vision by Meghan Melvin to one lucky subscriber to this newsletter. If you’re already subscribed, then you’re already entered to win it!

This giveaway ends at 8pm EST on January 25th. Here are some images from the book:

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