Tyrus Wong was Bambi's lead artist for Disney. His background paintings for Bambi were inspired by the classical illustrations of the Chinese dynasty. He has remained anonymous because Disney studios fired him for going on strike.
A veces life is very cruel, and a talent like that of Tyrus Wong has remained anonymous for many decades because of the Disney studio itself when it fired him for going on strike.
Tyrus wong left us at the age of 106 and he died just two years ago. A multidisciplinary artist to be a talent as a painter, animator, muralist, ceramicist, lithographer and kite maker. One of those creative souls who show their art wherever they have their genius and their hands.
Not only did he prove his genius in the movie Bambi from 1942 for Disney, but instead worked as a designer and storyboard artist for "A rebel without a cause", "Around the world in 80 days", "Rio Bravo" and many other films; like another Spanish artist who left us recently too.
In 1942, it was their cakes that served as inspiration for Bambi, where he was the main artist on the project. His background paintings were overshadowed in the credits by as many illustrators, to go completely unnoticed for decades.
Shortly after finishing Bambi, Wong was fired by Disney studios by going on the animators' strike. Right after that, he became a production illustrator for Warner Brothers for 26 years.
Thanks to Pamela Tom's movie Tyrus, it has been possible to learn about the professional life of a great talent in various artistic disciplines and thus not remain in oblivion. Also his background paintings will always be present in one of the best animated films of all time.