This website will celebrate the life and legacy of Disney Animation Artist John Basmajian and showcase his extraordinary preservation efforts on behalf of Animation Art.
The landmark sale of Disney animation art in 1984 at Christie's East in New York, from the collection of animation artist John Basmajian, firmly established universal recognition and a new consciousness that vintage animation art, particularly that of Disney, is a true and pure form of American fine art. Since the historic sale from the BASMAJIAN COLLECTION, this fragile, delicate and beautiful artwork has been highly prized and lovingly sought after by large numbers of people all over the world.
During World War II, John Basmajian, along with other employees, was given permission to salvage some of the artwork as it was discarded from the morgue. Because he realized even then its intrinsic value as American fine art as well as cartoon history, he meticulously did everything he could to preserve it for posterity. The most important means to this end was his early development of a careful process of custom framing and sealing of each piece of artwork for maximum protection from the elements. To this day, there has been no signs of deterioration, since their framing, of any pieces still maintained by the Basmajians, many of which have been done for 30 years or more.
Moved by its masterful rendering, its breathtaking and often delicate beauty, it seems John Basmajian, with foresight, good fortune and the studio's blessing, took the opportunity and saved more vintage art at the time of its destruction during World War II than any other individual. He just couldn't stand to see it destroyed! From the moment he brought the first pieces of artwork home, he was trying to devise safe and effective means for its protection and preservation.
Basmajian's love and dedication to the preservation of this beautiful and wonderful artwork has had a far more reaching impact than even he could have imagined. As a direct result of the 1984 Basmajian-Christies auction, pieces of vintage animation artwork have surfaced from attics and back closets that otherwise would have been disregarded and overlooked. Whole new markets for the sale of animation art have since been exploited. Even the Disney Studio itself is selling newly created artwork from its current computer-assisted animated features with a ferocity that might not have been possible had the Basmajian sale not firmly established animation art's place in history as American fine art.
John Basmajian's foresight left the world a tangible piece of history, a piece of history that was almost lost forever, a piece of history that will now be there to delight and enrich the lives of future generations.
