Am I starting to reveal that I only appreciate fine illustration as an art form? We're all allowed to have favorites, so I won't feel too badly. Kay Nielson is such a gem! He's a Danish illustrator from the Golden Age (with the dear Arthur Rackham), born in 1886 in Copenhagen, who actually collaborated a bit with Disney.
One of his hallmarks are his trees, with their skinny, branchless trunks and their circular tops. His characters are tall and willowy, and don't have the same sense of motion as some other illustrators. I like the mix of realism in his animals and figures, and the sense of opulence and royalty in their clothes and surroundings.
Let's take a look at some of my favorites!
These two are a bit simpler, and give you insight into how much Kay's work involves dripping and draping and twirling scenery.
I love how modern the woman seems here, and how the tangles of blossoms and branches are white and black, yet still pop against the grey background.
The headdresses here on the right are fantastic and I like the way they keep the figures from melting into the sky. On the left, the negative black background really makes our central character in white glow.
When I said there there was a sense of opulence, this is definitely what I was thinking of. Dripping trains, weeping willows, marble staircases, and flowering vines draped over castles.
Thanks for your illustration patience, friends 🙌
These are gorgeous! Thanks for introducing me to this guy!
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