Finally, he steps back into the limelight. Two works by Gustaf Tenggren have just surfaced on Auctionet via Stockholms Auktionsverk, a rare occasion that has both Scandinavian and American collectors raising their eyebrows. And the timing could not be more fitting. In August 2025, a new record was set at Heritage Auctions, when one of his original concept paintings for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sold for a staggering $168,000.
From Swedish Soil to Hollywood Hights
Gustaf Tenggren was born in Alingsås, Sweden in 1896, with artistry running in his veins. Both his father and grandfather were decorative painters, and in his early teens he enrolled at the School of Design and Crafts in Gothenburg. He later continued at the Valand Academy, where his remarkable talent quickly drew attention.
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The Tenggren family in 1903 © Courtesy of: Lars Emanuelsson
By 1917, Tenggren had his first major breakthrough when he was hired as illustrator for the fairy-tale anthology Bland Tomtar och Troll (Among Gnomes and Trolls). There he became the natural heir to John Bauer, who tragically perished in a drowning accident in 1918. Just three years later, Tenggren emigrated to the United States, the beginning of an entirely new chapter.
In 1920 he left Sweden for a bright new career in America.
A Shooting Star
The works currently offered on Auctionet are dated 1925, a period when Gustaf Tenggren had already established himself as a celebrated star of the American illustration scene. After moving from Sweden in 1920, he quickly broke through in Cleveland, where his ability to craft both dreamlike and modern visual worlds made him one of the most sought-after illustrators of his day.
During the 1920s, his images graced major advertisements, book covers, and prestigious magazines. He was a man of his time: elegant, prolific, and already internationally recognized. Works from this golden era are rare on the market, particularly in Sweden. To see, and even bid on, illustrations with classic troll motifs from this luminous period is nothing short of a cultural sensation.
From Trolls to Dwarfs and Evil Witches
The move to America opened new horizons. By the 1930s, Tenggren found himself in the employ of a name on everyone’s lips: Walt Disney. Disney had just announced the creation of what would become the world’s first feature-length animated film, an expensive production of the Brothers Grimm’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Hired as Art Director in 1936, Tenggren quickly became a key figure behind Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, Fantasia, and Bambi; films that forever reshaped the history of animation.
Despite his decisive role in these classics, Gustaf Tenggren remained largely invisible to the general public. His name rarely appeared in the credits, yet his imagery (rooted in the deep forests of Nordic folklore) left indelible marks on film history. When Walt Disney was awarded an honorary Oscar for Snow White in 1939, it was also, quietly, a tribute to Tenggren’s vision.
Life after Disney
After his Hollywood years, Tenggren retired to Maine with his wife Mollie, where he lived a quieter life. But he never stopped creating. Instead, he found a vast new audience through Golden Books. His illustrations for The Poky Little Puppy would go on to make it the best-selling picture book in American history.
The Poky Little Puppy was a cash cow in America. © Courtesy of: Lars Emanuelsson
Bright Times Ahead
Despite his international success, Tenggren was long forgotten in Sweden. Only recently has his significance been fully recognized, notably with the 2020 exhibition at Millesgården. The show was curated by author Lars Emanuelsson, the foremost expert on Tenggren and writer of the only dedicated publication on his career (a treasure worth hunting down in auctions and antiquarian bookshops!).
That Tenggren’s Snow White illustrations now serve record-breaking prices at Heritage Auctions is proof of his rising stature. At the same time, the two troll illustrations from 1925 now available on Auctionet serve as a reminder of his extraordinary talent, spanning Nordic folklore and Hollywood magic.
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