Kay Nielsen on Mythopoetic
Kay Nielsen on Mythopoetic

Kay Nielsen

Copenhagen, Denmark

The enchanter from the North was born in Copenhagen (Denmark) in 1886. Both his parents being actors, he received an artistic education and pursued in this direction by studying art in Paris.

 

Thanks to his very peculiar style, he was soon commissioned to illustrate a wide variety of fairy tales, from “In Powder and Crinoline” (Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch) in 1913, “The Arabian Nights” around 1917, “Fairy Tales” (Hans Andersen) in 1924 as well as the Brother Grimm’s stories in 1925 and “Red Magic” in 1930.

 

Leaving Denmark for California (USA) in the late 1930’s, he worked for The Walt Disney Company from 1937 to 1941 and collaborated notably on the film “Fantasia”.

 

He died at the age of 71 when the Sun reached its highest peak on June the 21st, 1957.