This should intrigue the viewer in wanting to learn about this character, their personality, and experiences. In this particular piece, he has the characters’ backs facing the audience, however one character is looking over her shoulder directly at the viewer. It would become apparent that the illustrator was communicating the life of his characters using subtle backgrounds and details to enhance, and clarify situations in the story. Stylization occurs within his paintings without abstracting shapes, making the mood of the work energetic and fun.īemelmans used a limited yet vibrant color palette, which was clever, because it would help a child to focus on characters, rather than a distracting background. Possibly using a dry brush technique would accomplish the overall textural feel to his artwork.Īs a whole, his body of work has the characteristic of being slightly impressionistic.

His work was created with ink and watercolor using quick, confident, and bold mark making. 12 In 1918 he became an American citizen, and was persuaded to start a new field. 11 He wound up in the big apple of New York City, and continued his career in hospitality until he enlisted in the U.S. Bemelmans had to choose between immigrating to America, or attending a reform school as punishment. 10 Legend has it that during a dispute, Bemelmans shot and nearly killed a fellow co-worker. He fell into the hotel business by apprenticing his uncle in Austria due to his lack of success in schools. 9Īs stated, Bemelmans drew inspirations from past careers. 8 Bemelmans was first published in 1939 for the original Madeline book which was named a Caldecott Honor Book Madeline’s Rescue, also received a Caldecott Medal. 7 Murals painted in New York’s Carlyle Hotel is the only surviving commission piece open to the public.

Bemelmans’ illustrations graced the covers of many New Yorker magazines, and comprised other clients such as Vogue, Town and Country, Fortune, Harper’s Bazaar, and McCall’s. He accomplished 15 children’s books in his career, which was approximately a book or two every year! 6 The illustrator also wrote fiction books for adolescents, however went slightly unnoticed due to his fame and fortune writing story books for kids. The illustrator is primarily known for a collection of books about a character named Madeline.

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans