LUDWIG BEMELMANS, (AMERICAN 1895-1962)
Casein, Watercolor, Ink and Gouache on Board
FRAMED TO 45″ X 32″
PAINTING BY SIGHT 40″ X 26.5″
SIGNED LOWER RIGHT, TITLED AND DATED LOWER LEFT
An extremely large Original painting by Ludwig Bemelmans rendered in Casein, Watercolor, Ink and Gouache on Board, titled and dated by Bemelmans as “Rue de Buci Paris’55”. This spectacular piece is the largest Bemelmans we have offered. The painting depicts an evening twilight scene on the “Rue de Buci” in Paris, showing a vibrant evening sky, with a large white structure in the background. Along the street, several woman are strolling and a well-suited man is staring into the window of a restaurant and studying the menu, while the chef looks on. Signed by Ludwig Bemelmans lower right on the lower edge of the shorter building “Bemelmans”, who also dated the piece to the right of the title as “’55”. A fantastic enormous, original Bemelmans, with much detail and a strong presence. Presented newly matted, framed and glazed, in a Larson Juhl gilded silver leaf frame. Framed using 100% archival materials and Optium UV Acrylic. The silver leaf frame showcases the art extremely well, giving it vibrance and creating an important presence on the wall.
PROVENANCE: Ex. Hammer Gallery with their original sticker on the art verso.
CONDITION: The art received some slight restoration to a few areas of flaking and loss, not affecting the signature. Slight bit of loss to the white chimney area, with beige streaks to the center of art along the white building (which adds to the charm).
This piece is SIGNED by Ludwig Bemelmans lower right, “Bemelmans”, who also titled and dated the piece “Rue de Buci Paris ’55”. Original works of art by Bemelmans are extremely scarce with even small paintings/scenes from the characters of his books selling for over $55,000
HIGH RESOLUTION IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST., ***Note… images of the both the framer and frame shop are provided to show the size of the piece only.
BIOGRAPHY:
Bemelmans, Ludwig: Beloved by three generations of young readers, Ludwig Bemelmans is best known for his Madeline books. What many may not know is that Bemelmans, born in the Austrian Tyrol, considered himself more an artist than an author. Bemelmans began writing in 1934 with the introduction of Hansi, his first of 15 children’s books. His diverse language base gave him a unique and quirky style of writing that children adored. His watercolor illustrations belied a simplistic style that partnered well with his sophisticated verse. Until his death in 1962, he wrote an average of one to two books per year. In addition to his juvenile fiction, his literary works included screenplays, adult novels, and stories. Bemelmans was a contributor to Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and the New Yorker, among others. His book Madeline’s Rescue was awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1953. As an artist, Ludwig Bemelmans designed a Broadway set, completed several Hollywood projects, illustrated for the cover of the New Yorker, and painted several murals. His art can be found at New York’s Carlyle Hotel, the Museé National d’Art in Paris, France, and in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. His character Madeline, the spunky heroine of Bemelmans’ classic five book series, celebrates her 75th anniversary this year.
HI-RES IMAGES AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST
****Domestic Shipping via UPS OR FedEx ground using a custom made shipping box, as such, please allow 5 business days to ship.
Please note -NO International shipping due to size and weight.
