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The Beatles
Lot 183AR

The Beatles: A Rare Concept Drawing By Heinz Edelmann For The Film Yellow Submarine,
1967,

13 October 2020, 13:00 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £3,562.50 inc. premium

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The Beatles: A Rare Concept Drawing By Heinz Edelmann For The Film Yellow Submarine,

1967,
pencil with some red ink, depicting several 'Pepperland' inhabitants and monsters, 11 1/2in x 16in (29.2cm x 40.6cm), unframed

Footnotes

Provenance:
Chief designer and art director Heinz Edelmann (1934-2009) created many of the central characters and the overall style of the film, released in 1968. According to Dr. Robert R. Hieronimus, Edelmann was ...much more than just the designer. His contributions shaped the plot and direction as well. He was absolutely the key to the success of the project. (From 'Inside The Yellow Submarine: The Making of The Beatles' Animated Classic', Krause Publications, 2002).

Dick Sawyers (Sawers) is listed in the credits of the feature-length animation as designer, together with Jon Cramer. He and Cramer met Heinz Edelmann at the 'SheeKeys' restaurant (established in London in the 1890s) for an extended lunch to discuss the design and look of the film. It was at this meeting that Heniz created this pencil and ink drawing and gave it to Dick to serve as a style guide for some of the many subsidiary characters that were to appear alongside The Beatles and Blue Meanies. It took the work of many animators and illustrators - about 200 in all - to complete this ground-breaking task within the eleven-month schedule and it was from Edelmann's concepts that they took inspiration.

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