A seventh was discovered after his death and published posthumously. Bemelmans published six Madeline stories in his lifetime, five as picture books and one in a magazine. Other characters include Pepito, son of the Spanish ambassador, who lives next door Lord Cucuface, owner of the house and Genevieve, a dog who rescues Madeline from drowning in the second book. Some have argued Miss, or Mademoiselle, or Madame Clavel's apparel looks more like that of a nurse (although why a nurse is working in what appears to be a Paris convent school is not explained). Madeleine Sophie Barat, after which this convent school seems to be modeled and 'Mrs.' would not be an appropriate equivalent in English. She is likely a nun, as some French orders called themselves Madames, particularly that of St. the smallest one was Madeline.' The girls are cared for by Miss Clavel. He associated with Ervine Metzl, a commercial artist and illustrator who is variously described as Bemelmans's friend, 'agent', and 'ghost artist'.Įach Madeline story begins: 'In an old house in Paris, that was covered with vines, lived twelve little girls in two straight lines. His cartoon series The Thrilling Adventures of the Count Bric a Brac was dropped from the New York World after six months. In the 1920s, Bemelemans tried to become an artist and painter while working at hotels, but had substantial difficulties. He writes of his experiences in the Army in the book, My War With the United States. He did become an officer, and was promoted to Second Lieutenant. Army but was not sent to Europe because of his German origins. He spent the next several years working at hotels and restaurants in the US. Given the choice between reform school and emigration to the United States, he chose the latter. He was apprenticed to his uncle Hans Bemelmans at a hotel in Austria, where he reportedly shot and seriously wounded a waiter. Bemelmans had difficulty in school, as he hated the German style of discipline. In 1904, his father left the family for Ludwig's governess, after which his mother took Ludwig and his brother to her native city of Regensburg, Germany.

His first language was French and his second German. He grew up in Gmunden on the Traunsee in Upper Austria. Bemelmans was born to the Belgian painter Lambert Bemelmans and the German Frances Fischer in Meran, Austria-Hungary (now Italy).

Madeline by Ludwig Bemelmans