Kay Rasmus Nielsen was a Danish illustrator. He was popular in the early 20th century, the "golden age of illustration", collaborating with Walt Disney and contributing a number of story sketches and illustrations.
Background
Nielsen was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on March 12, 1886, into an artistic family. He grew up surrounded by theater as both of his parents were actors. Kay Nielsen's father, Martinus Nielsen, some time later became the director of Dagmarteater while his mother, Oda Nielsen, was one of the most renowned actresses of her time.
Education
Kay Nielsen studied art at Académie Julian and Académie Colarossi in Paris between 1904 and 1911.
Career
Between 1911 and 1916 Nielsen resided in England. In 1913 he was commissioned by Hodder and Stoughton to make illustrations for a collection of fairy tales. The same year, he was also commissioned by The Illustrated London News to create a set of four illustrations for the tales of Charles Perrault. His illustrations for Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Bluebeard were published in the 1913 Christmas Edition.
Kay Nielsen produced images for the children's collection East of the Sun and also West of the Moon in 1914. The book includied fifteen Nordac Tales written by Gudrun Thorne - Thomsen and had 25 watercolor paintings by Nielsen. Later he started to paint landscapes in the Dover area, and during this time he came into contact with The Society of Tempera Painters where he acquired new skills, and managed to reduce the time of the painting process.
In 1917 the painter left England for New York where an exhibition of his work was organized. Later he moved back to Denmark. In a collaboratoration with Johannes Poulsen, Kay Nielsen created stage scenery for the Royal Danish Theatre, Copenhagen.
In 1924 Nielsen attempted to resume his career as an illustrator with the publication of Han’s Anderson’s Fairy Tales. Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales included twelve colour plates and more than forty monotone illustrations. In 1925 Nielsen produced artworks for Hansel and Gretel, and Other Stories by the Brothers Grimm. Five years later Red Magic was published, becoming the final title to be illustrated by Nielsen.
In 1939, he went to California and served for several Hollywood companies. There he worked with The Walt Disney Company, creating artworks for the Ave Maria and Night on the Bare Mountain. Nielsen had a success at the Disney studio for his concept art and later he produced artworks for many Disney films, including concept paintings for The Little Mermaid. But the film didn't appear within Nielsen’s lifetime, and his work went unused until 1989, when the production finally started. All in all, Kay Nielsen worked for the company for 4 years, from 1937 till 1941, before his dismission.
Being desperate after his collaboration with Walt Disney, Kay Nielsen moved back to Denmark for some time. However, his works were no longer in demand there either. Nielsen spent final years in poverty, creating works for local schools and churches. His last works included The First Spring mural installed at Central Junior High School, Los Angeles and his painting to the Wong Chapel at the First Congregational Church, Los Angeles, depicting the 23rd Psalm.
Nielsen suffered from a chronic cough that troubled him until his death in 1957.