Gustaf Tenggren (1896–1970) - The Horn (1919)

Gustaf Tenggren (1896-1970)

The Horn (1919)

signed Tenggren.
Ink, watercolor and gouache on cardboard
unframed 29.5 x 30 cm (11 ? x 11 ¾ in)
framed 41.5 x 42 cm (16 ? x 16 ½ in)
hand crafted frame by Christer Björkman is included.

Essay:
An old man presents a ceremonial horn to a young boy in this evocative 1919 watercolor by Gustaf Tenggren., Rendered in pen-and-ink, watercolor, and gouache on board, the scene reflects the artist’s early fascination with Nordic folklore and fairy-tale imagery. The elderly figure, clad in rustic attire, stoops to hand the curved horn to the wide-eyed child, creating a poignant moment of intergenerational exchange. The composition is rich in narrative detail and gentle earth tones, hallmarks of Tenggren’s illustrations during his Swedish period.

In The Horn, Tenggren’s delicate linework and muted, earthy colors capture the moody charm of Scandinavian folklore illustration. His fairy-tale style, influenced by artists like Arthur Rackham, was honed in Sweden where he succeeded the legendary John Bauer as illustrator for the popular annual Bland Tomtar och Troll (“Among Gnomes and Trolls”). Although not tied to a specific published tale, this standalone scene embodies the spirit of that era’s fairy tales, a touching exchange that feels both intimate and magical.

From Folklore to Disney Magic
Just one year after completing The Horn, the 23-year-old Gustaf Tenggren (1896–1970) emigrated from Sweden to the United States to further his career. There he swiftly found success as an illustrator in New York, and by the late 1930s he had become a key figure in Walt Disney’s studio during the Golden Age of American animation. Tenggren served as a chief concept illustrator at Disney, contributing to the look and feel of classics like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs(1937) and Pinocchio (1940). He brought a distinctly European storybook aesthetic to these films. For example, the quaint village architecture and carved wooden details in Pinocchio owe much to Tenggren’s creative vision and childhood memories of Scandinavian craftsmanship. The same love of whimsical detail and atmosphere is evident in The Horn, which in retrospect can be seen as foreshadowing the enchanting visual style Tenggren later lent to Disney’s fairy-tale worlds.

Provenance and Details
According to a handwritten inscription on the verso, this painting was donated to “S.S.W:s Höstbazar 1919” (S.S.W.’s Autumn Bazaar of 1919) in the town of Vadstena shortly after it was made. This early provenance suggests The Horn was part of a charity exhibition or sale in 1919.