Happy New Year 2019

Gustaf Tenggren wishes all Gustafficionados a happy and prosperous 2019!

Gustaf's Night Before Christmas

Today I would like to send the best greetings to all Tenggren fans with a couple of stunning spreads. The Night Before Christmas by C. Clement Moore was published in 1951 by Simon & Schuster as a Big Golden Book. 

Gustaf Tenggren illustrated this classic in his typical 1950s style, using decorative, stylized planes of bright colors in a syncopated jazzy rhythm. A clear inspiration from his former Disney colleague Mary Blair can be recognized.  

In this spread, with Santa delivering toys, Gustaf has included three of the characters he invented for Little Golden Books. The Poky Little Puppy, The Lively Little Rabbit and The Tawny Scrawny Lion are all featured in the image, although the lion was not introduced until the year after, in 1952. I think this somewhat forgotten Tenggren book is one of his brightest and merriest. With that, i wish all A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!