Aurelius Battaglia
Encyclopedia
Aurelius Battaglia was an American
illustrator
, muralist, writer
, and director
. He was born in Washington, D.C.
, in 1910 and he died in Provincetown, MA in May, 1984. He was the son of Giuseppe and Concetta Battaglia, who had emigrated from Cefalù
, Italy
. Aurelius attended the Corcoran School of Art. He graduated as one of the Corcoran’s most promising students, winning $50 in a Corcoran-sponsored art contest.
from 1937 to 1941. He contributed most notably to Dumbo
, Fantasia
, and Pinocchio
and is credited as one of the writers of the latter. In the mid-1950s, Battaglia joined United Productions of America
, a studio staffed by some of the industry’s most accomplished, forward-thinking animation artists. Perhaps his most outstanding UPA contribution was the short film The Invisible Moustache of Raoul Dufy. Battaglia directed the film, which was nominated for a BAFTA award.
Battaglia was also a prolific children’s book illustrator
. His picture book work in the 1950s and 60s differs significantly from the deco-inspired circus animals of his depression-era murals. They feature bold, solid colors and striking, stylized pen and brush work indicative of the looser, more abstract mid-century cartooning style that he helped pioneer. Notable examples include "Cowboy Jack, the Sheriff", "The Fire Engine Book", "Little Boy With a Big Horn", "When I Met Robin", "Captain Kangaroo’s Read-Aloud Book" and "The Fireside Book of American Folk Songs". He contributed to the Childcraft book series published by Field Enterprises.
Battaglia moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts
, where he continued to work until his death in May 1984.
In 1934, the Works Progress Administration
commissioned Battaglia to paint murals in the children’s section of the library in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington
where he resided. The result was a stunning, whimsical panorama of anthropomorphic animals at play. It still hangs in the alcoves of the building’s second floor. The Mount Pleasant Library
is located at 3160 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, muralist, writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, and director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
. He was born in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, in 1910 and he died in Provincetown, MA in May, 1984. He was the son of Giuseppe and Concetta Battaglia, who had emigrated from Cefalù
Cefalù
Cefalù is a city and comune in the province of Palermo, located on the northern coast of Sicily, Italy on the Tyrrhenian Sea about 70 km east from the provincial capital and 185 km west of Messina...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Aurelius attended the Corcoran School of Art. He graduated as one of the Corcoran’s most promising students, winning $50 in a Corcoran-sponsored art contest.
Career
Battaglia migrated west in the late 1930s and worked for the Walt Disney StudiosWalt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
from 1937 to 1941. He contributed most notably to Dumbo
Dumbo
Dumbo is a 1941 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released on October 23, 1941, by RKO Radio Pictures.The fourth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, Dumbo is based upon the storyline written by Helen Aberson and illustrated by Harold Pearl for the prototype of a...
, Fantasia
Fantasia (film)
Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
, and Pinocchio
Pinocchio (1940 film)
Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It is the second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, and it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by...
and is credited as one of the writers of the latter. In the mid-1950s, Battaglia joined United Productions of America
United Productions of America
United Productions of America, better known as UPA, was an American animation studio of the 1940s through present day, beginning with industrial films and World War II training films. In the late 1940s, UPA produced theatrical shorts for Columbia Pictures, most notably the Mr. Magoo series. In...
, a studio staffed by some of the industry’s most accomplished, forward-thinking animation artists. Perhaps his most outstanding UPA contribution was the short film The Invisible Moustache of Raoul Dufy. Battaglia directed the film, which was nominated for a BAFTA award.
Battaglia was also a prolific children’s book illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
. His picture book work in the 1950s and 60s differs significantly from the deco-inspired circus animals of his depression-era murals. They feature bold, solid colors and striking, stylized pen and brush work indicative of the looser, more abstract mid-century cartooning style that he helped pioneer. Notable examples include "Cowboy Jack, the Sheriff", "The Fire Engine Book", "Little Boy With a Big Horn", "When I Met Robin", "Captain Kangaroo’s Read-Aloud Book" and "The Fireside Book of American Folk Songs". He contributed to the Childcraft book series published by Field Enterprises.
Battaglia moved to Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,431 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2007 population of 3,174...
, where he continued to work until his death in May 1984.
Style
In the 1930s, Battaglia worked in a flowing, deco-influenced, organic style informed by classic European illustration. His later children’s book and animation work was emblematic of the radical, more abstract stylization prevalent in the 1950s and ‘60s, a trend he helped to establish.In 1934, the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
commissioned Battaglia to paint murals in the children’s section of the library in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Washington
Mount Pleasant, Washington, D.C.
Mount Pleasant is a neighborhood in the northwestern quadrant of Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The neighborhood is bounded by Rock Creek Park to the north and west; and Harvard Street, NW and the Adams Morgan neighborhood to the south; and Sixteenth Street, NW and the Columbia...
where he resided. The result was a stunning, whimsical panorama of anthropomorphic animals at play. It still hangs in the alcoves of the building’s second floor. The Mount Pleasant Library
Mount Pleasant Library (Washington, D.C.)
The Mount Pleasant Library at 1600 Lamont Street, NW in Washington, DC is a branch of the District of Columbia Public Library System that opened in May 1925, and is the third oldest public library building still in use in Washington...
is located at 3160 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20010.