More than a century ago, Danish illustrator Kay Nielsen (1886–1957) created exquisite interpretations of classic fairy tales that remain some of the most memorable visions of enchantment and fantasy ever to appear in print.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), is celebrating the artist with Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision: The Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection, featuring nearly 50 of his luminous and often haunting watercolors and drawings —including many of his remarkable illustrations for East of the Sun and West of the Moon, Old Tales from the North.

The exhibition marks the first time that such a large group of Nielsen’s original works, both published and unpublished, has been on public display in the US in more than six decades. These highlights of Nielsen’s career — promised gifts to the MFA from collectors Kendra and Allan Daniel — give visitors a rare opportunity to study and appreciate the work of this visionary artist. Kay Nielsen’s Enchanted Vision is on view from July 20, 2019 through January 20, 2020 in the Clementine Brown Gallery. 

“The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, was illustrated by Kay Nielsen for In Powder and Crinoline, published in 1913; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

“Nielsen’s illustrations are mesmerizing when seen in print, but this exhibition provides an exceptionally rare opportunity to see his original works of art, which are breathtaking with their powerful imagery and extraordinary detail,” said Meghan Melvin, Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Curator of Design, who organized the exhibition. “I’m delighted to present our visitors with a chance to experience firsthand the beautiful and enchanted worlds born from Nielsen’s mind.”

The son of a prominent theater director and actress, Nielsen was deeply immersed in the performing arts during his childhood in Copenhagen, a formative experience that influenced him throughout his life. He quickly gained international recognition as an artist and theater designer in his younger years, with original illustrations exhibited and sold to collectors in London and New York.

During the final years of his career, he worked as an art director for Disney on the landmark animation film Fantasia and completed a handful of public art commissions. While his published output was relatively small, Nielsen is consistently cited as a luminary among European illustrators of the 20th century, and his work continues to inspire generations of artists across disciplines.

“We’ve always felt that Kay Nielsen was an artist whose art demanded attention, and now he’s receiving it through this exhibition. It is a complete joy to share our collection with MFA visitors,” said Kendra Daniel.

Among the highlights of the exhibition are 10 illustrations from a compilation of Norse tales poetically titled East of the Sun and West of the Moon, Old Tales from the North (published 1914), which are considered the bedrock of Nielsen’s legacy.

These works reflect the artist’s broad cultural and historical interests, revealing his love of Norse mythology as well as his knowledge of Japanese woodblock prints and Persian miniatures. Filled with moments of high drama and intricate detail, his illustrations are much more than visual aids to propel the narration. They also reflect Nielsen’s immersion in theater, with many of the compositions creating an impression of a stage set with figures in carefully designed costumes.

In the exhibition, the illustrations are complemented by a Fendi gown and evening bag designed by Karl Lagerfeld for his Fall/Winter 2016 “Legends and Fairy Tales” couture collection, which drew inspiration from Nielsen’s watercolors for East of the Sun and West of the Moon. These dazzling contemporary additions, shown directly alongside their source material, demonstrate how Nielsen’s work continues to resonate today.

The exhibition is representative of all major phases and projects of Nielsen’s career, including eight drawings from the Book of Death series (1910), made while he was an art student in Paris. The stark black-and-white compositions demonstrate his experimentation with technique and presentation format, working at the forefront of avant-garde illustration in Europe. This pictorial essay contributed to the success of Nielsen’s first exhibition in London in 1912 that led to his first book illustration commission: In Powder and Crinoline (published in 1913 and released under the title The Twelve Dancing Princesses in the US), a compilation of French fairy tales selected and edited by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch. The exhibition includes four of the works from this significant publication that launched Nielsen’s career in illustration.

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