Walt Disney Studios – Donald Duck – Original-Werbegrafik - The Whalers (c. 1938/1940s)

Striking original Walt Disney Studios publicity/concept drawing inspired by the classic 1938 animated short The Whalers, featuring Donald Duck in a highly dynamic maritime scene.

Donald is shown clinging to the ship’s rigging with one hand while reaching upwards with the other towards a gloved hand extending from above. The diagonal ropes, billowing sail, sweeping movement lines and Donald’s wonderfully expressive pose create a strong sense of movement and comic urgency.

Executed entirely by hand in red coloured pencil on an original 12-field, five-peghole animation sheet. Visible construction lines, corrections, shading and the hand-drawn composition border reveal the artist’s working process. Its carefully arranged, self-contained composition is characteristic of publicity, editorial or children’s-book artwork rather than a frame-by-frame production drawing.

Attributed to Disney Legend Manuel Gonzales (1913–1993). Gonzales joined Walt Disney Studios in 1936, contributed to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and later became particularly celebrated for his long association with the Mickey Mouse Sunday comic strip.

This is a unique piece of original hand-drawn Disney artwork—not a print, reproduction or production cel.

Date: circa 1938/1940s.
Technique: red coloured pencil on animation paper.
Format: 12-field sheet with five original registration holes.
Artist: attributed to Manuel Gonzales.

Very Good vintage condition, with light age-related paper toning and slight handling and edge wear. The original registration holes, construction lines and working marks remain present. Please examine all photographs carefully, as they form an integral part of the description.