Herbert Ryman Paintings and Drawingsby Betje Howell
[1969] signed and inscribed copy, Billboard Publications (n.p.), oblong 9 1/4 x 8 1/4 inches tall spiral bound (white plastic comb) in full color glossy pictorial covers, copiously illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs and reproductions of Ryman's artwork, 42 pp. Slight soiling and slight to moderate edgewear and creasing to covers, with a bit of cracking to the bottom plastic comb of the spine. Nicely inscribed, dated and signed by the artist on the half title page. Otherwise, apart from a couple of pages with very slight marginal soiling, a clean, bright and unmarked copy.
Portfolio and biography of Herbert Dickens Ryman Jr. (1910-1989), American artist and Disney Imagineer. Ryman worked in watercolor, oils, and pen & ink sketches. In 1953 Ryman drew the first illustrations of Walt Disney's vision of a theme park that eventually became Disneyland.
After graduating from the Art Institute of Chicago, during Hollywood's 'golden age,' Ryman was the sole artist and illustrator for MGM Studios. He helped design many major pictures for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and 20th Century Fox including the screen styling of David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Mutiny on the Bounty, Anna Karenina and the Wizard of Oz. Beginning in 1938, Ryman worked for Walt Disney as an art director for such feature-length animated films as Fantasia and Dumbo.
After his retirement in 1953, Walt Disney persuaded Ryman to return to help design Disneyland. Among his contributions were designs for Main Street, U.S.A., Sleeping Beauty Castle and New Orleans Square. Herb also contributed concepts for the Jungle Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean, and for attractions featured at the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, including Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln. Ryman worked on many special projects at Disney over a five decade span. He was the chief designer of the Cinderella Castle at the Walt Disney World Resort.