Film
Wanting to differentiate this Classic as much as possible from the others that had preceded it, Disney chose to rework the different traditions by which the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty has come down to us in a different way: in addition to the Perrault and Grimm versions, he also drew on Tchaikovsky's ballet of the same name for the music. What he brought to the big screen is the story of Princess Aurora, raised incognito under the name of Rosaspina to escape the curse cast on her by the witch Maleficent. A classic and simple narrative solution, but one that allowed the authors to demonstrate the maturity they had achieved over the years through amusing subplots: the relationship between King Umberto and King Stephen, who wish to unite their kingdoms and who share their tribulations, is a clear example. Aurora, despite having a very limited screen time, shows a much less submissive and more mischievous nature than Snow White and Cinderella. Although she still falls victim to the events set in motion by other characters, we see her repeatedly casting sly glances and wry smiles at Flora, Fauna and Serenella, her guardians and comic relief in the play. Prince Philip is also given more depth: we see him portrayed as an impetuous young man, whose character is defined by his interactions with his faithful steed Samson, a bit like what will happen in the future for other famous male characters such as Kristoff in Frozen (2013).
Art
Many animated films open with a narrator leafing through the book of the fairy tale he is going to tell us. The Sword in the Stone, Robin Hood or Sleeping Beauty in the Woods are just a few examples, opening the film with images of ancient and reconstructed books based on the mediaeval model, particularly rich and intricate in their elaborate decorations.
One of the medieval manuscripts from which the animators drew inspiration is undoubtedly the Book of Kells, on permanent display in the library of Trinity College in Dublin, which together with the Cathach of St. Columba, the Ambrosian Orosius, the Book of Durrow or the Durham Gospels, is a perfect example of the manuscripts produced in Irish, Scottish and northern English monasteries from the late 6th to early 9th century. Disney used these models to recreate a historical and fairy-tale atmosphere that has inspired many other contemporary artists over the centuries, especially in Sleeping Beauty, which is perhaps the most medieval of all.
Most people associate this fairy tale with the Brothers Grimm and Walt Disney's version, yet it had many interpretations that inspired artists such as Edward Burne-Jones (1833-1898). Known for his Pre-Raphaelite style, Burne-Jones created a series of paintings titled Small Briar Rose series in which he depicted the prince discovering rival knights, the king and courtiers, the princess and her attendants, all asleep from the spell. The figures at rest, slumped in poses that often blur the line between sleep and death to emphasise the stillness in their enchanted slumber, will only awaken when the hero kisses his beloved. Linking the scenes is the repeated motif of overgrown roses, whose undulating tendrils recall the fabric and wallpaper designs of his friend and collaborator William Morris. Exhibited in many important art exhibitions over the years, this group of paintings is considered to be one of the painter's most famous works.
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