Dumbo's Bath

Disney conceived of Dumbo (1941), a simply designed and accessible story, in the hopes of generating revenue to recover from the financial disaster of Fantasia’s production. The film was adapted from a storyline created for a new novelty toy. The feature saw the first use of the Sonovox system that synthesized sound effects with actor’s voices, which gave human qualities to the locomotive Casey Jr. (best remembered for the “I Think I Can” segment) and other machines, still considered a great accomplishment today. Dumbo was an instant box office hit and, due to its inexpensive production costs, generated the revenue Disney needed.

This classic cel depicts one of Disney’s most loved creations: Dumbo. To capture a realistic feel, animators brought live elephants into the studio, possibly contributing to this film’s longstanding recognition for innovative design.