Image Dimensions: 11 x 7 1/4 in (28 x 18.5 cm)
Framed Dimensions: 16 5/8 x 13 in (42.1 x 33 cm)

Provenance and Authentication:
According to the Letter of Authenticity (LOA) and Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided by the consignor, this collectible was subjected to a forensic examination. The accompanying documentation states that the signatures were evaluated with reference to multiple characteristics, including ink deposition, material and aging characteristics, stylistic consistency, and historical context. Based on the examination described in these documents, the authentication provider concluded that the findings were consistent with the attributed signatures. The LOA and COA provided by the consignor accompany the lot.

A charming signed figural drawing associated with Ludwig Bemelmans, celebrated author and illustrator best known for creating the Madeline series. Executed in ink and watercolor or similar media on paper, the composition depicts a whimsical childlike figure wearing an oversized black hat decorated with soft pink accents, accompanied by a bright yellow scarf and vivid red garment.

The drawing displays many of the visual qualities closely associated with Bemelmans's celebrated illustrative vocabulary: economical outlines, deliberately uncomplicated facial features, spontaneous areas of color, and a playful balance between sophistication and childlike immediacy. Particularly characteristic is the manner in which broad passages of black, red, and yellow are allowed to retain visible irregularities and gestural edges rather than being rendered with academic precision.

A cursive "Bemelmans" signature appears diagonally beneath the figure. Its compact connected construction, forward movement, changing letter height, and extended terminal strokes show visual characteristics consistent with the loose, rapidly written character encountered in examples of Bemelmans's signature.

Presented under matting within a substantial wood frame, the work possesses strong decorative appeal while directly evoking the imaginative world for which Bemelmans remains internationally recognized.