Ludwig Bemelmans by Laurie Britton-Newell

His illustrations for the Madeline series are reminiscent of the work of Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Raoul Dufy, but possess a unique style that has resonated with readers around the world since the first book was published in 1939.Ī title in the new series, The Illustrators, which celebrates illustration as an art form, Ludwig Bemelmans offers a visually rich view into the life and work of this much-loved artist and writer, and includes exclusive sketches and photographs from the Bemelmans archive that have never been previously published. His illustrations were frequently featured on the cover of the New Yorker throughout the 1940s and 1950s.Īs an artist, Bemelmans documented life as it went on around him, all the while inventing stories and characters from his vivid imagination and lively personality. The book makes accessible this mesmerizing material, which is otherwise lost to the public, and connects it to the artist's intriguing life.Īn icon of a fascinating era, Bemelmans through his magical work gives us glimpses of a life that embodied both hard work and glamour, in Paris and New York.Recognized most widely as the creator and illustrator of the beloved children's classic Madeline, Ludwig Bemelmans (1898-1962) also wrote and illustrated a number of other children's books, novels, short stories, and travel books. Laurie Britton Newell's illustrated essay gathers material from Bemelmans' diverse oeuvre, from novels, autobiographical stories, humorous articles and comic strips to murals and menus for hotels and restaurants. And every illustrator would love to know how he conveyed all the emotions of a spirited little girl drawn with just a few lines and dots how did he achieve such clarity in simplicity? His illustrations for the Madeline books offer a classic vision of Paris that has created a lasting impression on millions of readers. In all above cases, he contributed none or but a few illustrations of his. Ludwig Bemelmans grew up under the Austro-Hungarian empire and emigrated to the United States in his late teens, just escaping the outbreak of the First World War. He and Laurie Britton Newell compiled The Illustrators: Ludwig Bemelmans (2019).

The first title in Thames & Hudson's brand-new series, this book offers a visually rich insight into the life and work of this important artist and writer.

While almost everybody knows Ludwig Bemelmans' Madeline, the fact that the illustrator published over forty other titles remains a well-kept secret.

Author(s): Quentin Blake Laurie Britton-Newell Laurie Britton Anon

Ludwig Bemelmans by Laurie Britton-Newell