Golden Age of Illustration: Kay Nielsen

The early 20th century is often considered the golden age of illustration. It was during this period that printing technology improved enough to successfully reproduce drawings and paintings. During this period, illustrated books became hugely popular and Kay Nielson, a Dutch illustrator, became one of the most celebrated illustrators working at the time. He not only illustrated the works of the Brothers Grimm, as well as Arabian Nights, he also worked for the Walt Disney Company producing concept art and sequences for Fantasia.

Like many artists, his career brought him little financial reward. He died in 1957 at the age of 71, mostly forgotten and living in poverty. Luckily his artwork has seen a resurgence in popularity and is widely available on the Internet.