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Bob Kuwahara - Walt Disney Terrytoons Hashimoto Mouse Barker Bill Marvelous Mike

Artist: Bob Kuwahara (All)

4 Comments - 985 Views - 5 Likes

Bob Kuwahara - Walt Disney Terrytoons Hashimoto Mouse Barker Bill Marvelous Mike Comic Art

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Artwork Details

Title:	Bob Kuwahara - Walt Disney Terrytoons Hashimoto Mouse Barker Bill Marvelous Mike
Artist:	Bob Kuwahara (All)
Media Type:	Pen and Ink
Art Type:	Illustration
For Sale Status:	NFS
Views:	985
Likes on CAF:	5 6
Favorited on CAF:	1
Comments:	4
Added to Site:	8/5/2021
Comic Art Archive:

Description

This is a really sweet piece I found on Facebook Marketplace for ten bucks from someone who was liquidating the estate of a woman who loved buying random art market pieces in the SF bay area. The original art caught my eye and even though it kind of resembles US western/ranch home decor I figured hey it's a good drawing, let's look this guy up on google. I was able to exactly match this signature on some of his comic strip art I found online

Rokuro Kuwahara who went by Robert Kuwahara or even “Bob Kay” was a Japanese American artist who worked for Disney, MGM, and Terrytoons. He also made tons of strip art. After the attack on Pearl Harbor the US government forced him into an internment camp. While he was there he taught art classes to other prisoners of the concentration camp.

According to one article Kuwahara worked for Disney from 1932 to 1936 and contributed to the backgrounds for Snow White , Fantasia , and Bambi before moving on to MGM Studios!!! I can't believe we threw a freaking Disney animator into an internment camp, one that worked on the early movies alongside Walt Disney himself no less.

One of these days I might crack open this ancient frame to see if there is a clue to the date or publication of the piece, but I suspect it's just something he drew to sell, I think he also framed it because the mat has some ink linework on it too. It's a really interesting piece with a little bit of historical Asian American Art significance.

I attached a short autobiography he did. He had a great sense of humor and a very positive attitude. It is striking to me that he doesn’t reveal a trace of resentment about the internment and simply refers to it as “three hectic years.”

The drawing is 10"x13" and is ink over pencils.

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About the Owner

	Nate Schultze Premium Gallery Owner
Joined:	April 2019
Last Login:	September 2025
Country:	UNITED STATES
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Comments on this Artwork

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Nash of the Titans
Member Since 2020

1 - Posted on 8/5/2021

BY THE GODS!!! What a story! Thank you for your research as well as your sharing this magnificent piece by a wonderful masterclass we treated unfairly in a truly dark hour. Congrats!

Marcus Wai
Member Since 2005

1 - Posted on 8/5/2021

The art showed he had the goods and was as good as the best. They took away everything and when they released the people, they never gave them back their land or homes or businesses.

Duke Fleed aka #1 Groo Fan
Member Since 2013

1 - Posted on 8/5/2021

Just a really great illustration. Love the looseness and the sense of movement. Congrats!!

Timothy Finney
Member Since 2006

Posted on 9/30/2021

Your collection is full of surprises. Also, thanks for doing the detective work here. It adds greatly to the enjoyment of the art.

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