Animation cel used in production of SpongeBob SquarePants

Object Details

Nickelodeon

Description (Brief)

Animation cel used in the production of the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants. The hand-inked, three-part animation cel depicts SpongeBob SquarePants at the Krusty Krab holding a spatula in his hand. The cel is comprised of two animation cels atop a painted background. The top cel is of the sink counter only and at bottom of cel is marked "S/B #109/ UL -4" in black marker. Cel #2 is the character Sponge Bob with " B6" written in black marker at the bottom of the cel. Third layer is one hole punch paper with painted background.

Premiering on Nickelodeon in 1999, SpongeBob SquarePants became one of the most popular and successful animated children’s television series of all time over its 13 seasons (as of 2022), numerous feature and television films, video game, Broadway musical, and other adaptations. The show was created by marine science educator and animator Stephen Hillenburg based in part on his unpublished 1989 educational comic book The Intertidal Zone, written to teach children about aquatic ecosystems. The animated series features the deep-sea denizens of Bikini Bottom, including SpongeBob, an earnest, happily oblivious, and unapologetically silly sea sponge. Heavy on slapstick and sight gags, the show nevertheless introduced kids six to 12 to the diversity of human motives, the complexities of social interaction, and big-picture thinking. As illustrated in this cel, SpongeBob loves his job—wielding a spatula and flipping burgers at the Krusty Krab Diner.

Location

Currently not on view

1999

ID Number

2018.0110.02

accession number

2018.0110

catalog number

2018.0110.02

Object Name

cel, animation

Physical Description

paint (overall material)

plastic (overall material)

Measurements

overall: 11 in x 13 in; 27.94 cm x 33.02 cm

See more items in

Culture and the Arts: Entertainment

Popular Entertainment

Food

National Museum of American History

Subject

Children's television programs

Comedy

Animation

Record ID

nmah_1888673

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746b3-efc3-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa