Caroling, Caroling

Yesterday we had Archie and his friends caroling so today is Mickey's turn. This cheerful art, gracing the cover of the February 1999 issue of Walt Disney's Comics and Stories (No. 633), features a charmingly old-fashioned engraving-style illustration of Mickey and close pals Minnie and Donald Christmas caroling in a beguiling woodland setting. Pluto joins in with a howling-good harmony, we can assume, and Dopey since he don't sing none looks on happily as he holds the glowing lantern for our vocalizing merrymakers. Oddly little is known about this art—it's not from one of the famous Disney Studio Christmas cards so it was apparently some of sort of publicity art, and appears to be from circa 1939 (Dopey was at the height of his popularity, and the look of the Three Little Pigs/Wolves indicate their style as seen in 1939's The Practical Pig). The art is attributed to justly acclaimed Disney publicity artist Hank Porter. It's one of my favorites piece of Disney (and holiday) art, as it certainly gives you that Christmas glow just by looking at it. You can almost hear these cute carolers outside your own door...