Constantin Alajálov's illustrations for Alice Duer Miller's verse retelling of Cinderella (1943) were featured in Life magazine's issue of September 13, 1943. Life reported that Alajálov had considered a modern setting for his illustrations, but that proved unworkable. Instead he set his illustrations in the 1850's which is still a couple of centuries later than Charles Perrault's original version. Seven years after this book was published, Walt Disney was to release an animated feature of the fairy tale which was to become a classic in its own right.
Parts of the book now appear on Fulltable.com. It is especially good to see a few of the illustrations alongside the verses.
Try this on for size! Cinderella sure is lucky none of her evil stepsisters had tiny feet! This celluloid with original painted background was used in the creation of a lobby card promoting Walt Disney's "Cinderella" (1950). I'm not sure why you would reveal the ending to a movie in this way, but perhaps the audience was already familiar with the tale and needed to be reassured that Walt could provide a happy ending for poor Cinderelly. Now I had always believed that the famous glass slipper (pantoufle de verre in French) resulted from a mistranslation of fur slipper (pantoufle de vair) when Charles Perrault's version of the fairy tale was published in English. I have now been set straight bysnopes.com,a remarkably knowledgeable website which over the years has debunked every cherished urban legend I've ever sworn by. The glass slipper is indeed Perrault's own invention.
Walt Disney Studios, Cel and painted background of Cinderella and the Grand Duke, lobby card promotion for"Cinderella" (1950) Sotheby's Paris July 4, 2012
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