The cheerful and cheeky traits of beloved fictional schoolgirl Madeline from Ludwig Bemelmans’ (1892—1962) picture books have made a timeless impression on every generation since their publication in 1939, but readers may not realize that the heroine’s personality was drawn largely from the artist himself. Raised in Austria and Germany before immigrating to the United States as an adolescent, Ludwig Bemelmans was a wild, spontaneous, and quirky writer and illustrator of children’s literature and best known for his six Madeline books. However, he was also acclaimed for his adult short stories, articles and cartoons for magazines such as The New Yorker, Vogue, and Town & Country. Though he struggled to find success as an illustrator for many years, his talent in creating cartoons of such sparkling wit and delightfully exaggerated caricatures as seen in The Favorite Wine of the Marechal de Richelieu helped propel him into lasting fame. 

 

The young immigrant Bemelmans arrived in New York at age seventeen and found a job bussing tables at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. He got his start as an illustrator by doodling satiric cartoons of the kitchen workers, waiters, and clientele on the backs of menus, catching the attention of his art-loving boss who encouraged him to pursue his talent for drawing. Bemelmans quickly rose through the ranks to hold a more esteemed position within the hotel, allowing him to enjoy all the luxuries of the Roaring ‘20s. Later, he found modest success as a cartoonist for popular advertisements, which in turn helped him to land deals with some of the biggest names in publishing at the time, creating magazine covers, cartoons, and short stories. 

 

The Favorite Wine of the Marechal de Richelieu was drawn during the period when Bemelmans worked as a cartoonist and just three years before he published Madeline. Likely always intended for publication, the subject is typical of Bemelmans’ earlier drawings from his days at the Ritz, quickly sketched caricatures of the wealthy clientele that surrounded him. Maréchal is a military distinction. It is possible that Bemelmans may have even encountered the Maréchal de Richelieu at the hotel. The cartoon depicts the Maréchal reclining in an armchair, pompously savoring a glass of Bordeaux from Châteaux La Mission-Haut-Brion, declared by the Times to be the Maréchal’s favorite wine. The ink drawing is a fine example of Bemelmans’ biting wit and snarky social commentary, as well as his signature whimsical drawing style. 

 

Kelsey Phinney ‘16 

Davis Museum Summer Intern 2014