Madeline Cleans Up

Unframed original artwork by Jody Wheeler for page 11 of Madeline's Christmas by Ludwig Bemelmans. Bemelmans was known for issuing his stories in magazines prior to what he would consider the completed stage, after which he would gather feedback, update his work, and later issue a hardcover edition of the edited work. This particular Madeline story was published as a special insert to the 1956 Christmas edition of McCall's Magazine, but did not make it to the completed stage before the author's death in 1962. When Viking decided to issue the story as a hardcover edition in 1985, they approached Jody Wheeler to create artwork after the Bemelmans that could be used to fully flesh out the book. This piece was one of the works created by Jody Wheeler for use in the 1985 first hardcover edition of Madeline's Christmas. The piece measures 6 1/2" x 7" on a 13 1/2" x 15" sheet. Signed by the artist, Jody Wheeler!