<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"  An incurable rebellious streak and a strong distaste for German discipline left 16-year-old Ludwig Bemelmans, during the Christmas season of 1914, with two options: report to reform school or make his own way in New York City. He chose the latter, finding work as a busboy at the Ritz-Carlton, where he discovered his passion for illustration by sketching the hotel&amp;#039;s well-to-do patrons. He later became a frequent contributor to this magazine (a slideshow of his T&amp;amp;amp;C covers and other illustrations, here) and painted, in exchange for room and board, the famous murals in the Carlyle Hotel bar that now bears his name. But Madeline\u2014the adventurous, fiercely independent Parisian schoolgirl partly inspired by the author himself\u2014remains his most enduring creation. &amp;quot;There&amp;#039;s something magical about the books. She becomes part of every kid&amp;#039;s imagination, and they continue to keep her alive,&amp;quot; says Bemelmans&amp;#039;s grandson John Bemelmans Marciano, who in 1999 picked up where his grandfather left off, beginning with Madeline in America. To celebrate the character&amp;#039;s 75th birthday, Viking has released an anniversary edition of the first book, while the New-York Historical Society will display more than 90 original artworks to honor her author, who once declared his greatest inspiration to be a low bank balance. Bemelmans&amp;#039;s Madeline drawings and other works will be on view at the New-York Historical Society through October 13. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/arts-and-culture/reviews/a1860/madeline-75th-bemelmans-tc-june-july/>