The $3.4m Disney auction is a reminder of what AI concept art takes from us

Disney concept art from Snow White, Alice in Wonderland and Toy Story.

From the Spider-Man AI scandal to Masters of the Universe, one of the main defences for the use of AI has been that it was only concept art. The AI-generated visuals didn't make it into the final movies.

But concept art is still art. It appears in art books and behind-the-scenes footage pored over by fans. And if a movie becomes sufficiently iconic, it becomes a historical artifact. The recent auction of Disney art is a reminder of the artistic (and monetary) value such work can attain.

Gustaf Tenggren's atmospheric painting of Snow White (Image credit: Disney / Heritage Auctions)

Just days after we were admiring the sheer amount of characters that Disney managed to fit into its D23 poster design this year, a batch of rare artwork and posters came up for auction as a reminder of the animation studio's rich legacy.

Heritage Auctions’ latest big sale of Disney art last weekend generated $3.43 million across 1,346 lots, spanning from the Golden Age through the Disney Renaissance and into the films of the 2000s.

The highlights were the original concept paintings by Gustaf Tenggren for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, including an atmospheric painting of Snow White listening as the Prince sings One Song, which fetched $85,400. A panoramic painting of six dwarfs returning home sold for $41,480, while an image of the Prince on horseback sold for $36,600.

A panoramic painting of six dwarfs returning home sold for $41,480 (Image credit: Disney / Heritage Auctions)

The leading lots also included two works by Mary Blair. A colourful concept painting for the Japan section of It’s a Small World reached $31,720, while a concept and colour-key painting depicting Alice, the Mad Hatter and the White Rabbit at the tea party from Alice in Wonderland reached $29,280.

A concept and colour-key painting for Alice in Wonderland (Image credit: Disney / Heritage Auctions)

A concept painting for the Japan section of It’s a Small World (Image credit: Disney / Heritage Auctions)

From the Joe Ranft Family Archive, there were storyboards and concept art from Pixar movies like Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Monsters, Inc and Cars.

A hand-coloured storyboard sequence for Toy Story by Joe Ranft (Image credit: Disney / Heritage Auctions)

“The response reflects the global affection for Disney and the growing appreciation for animation art as a significant art form,” Jim Lentz, Heritage’s vice president of animation and anime art, said.

Using AI for concept art might speed things up. But is anyone going to be saying things like this about AI-generated Spider-Man art in 50 years time?