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Bemelmans, Ludwig
A Suite of Pen and Ink Sketches for the Stage Design and Promotion of Ludwig Bemelman's Play, "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep"
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An archive of 17 drawings by Ludwig Bemelmans for the stage design and promotion of his 1950 play, "Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep," based on his novel and produced for the stage by Hume Cronyn (to whom this archive belonged). The play opened at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York on March 2, 1950, and starred Fredric March. Four of the drawings are in a large format (around 18 x 12 inches each), three of which are in color. These drawings are the highlight of the archive, and two of the color drawings bear a distinct resemblance to the artist's "Madeleine" character, in terms of dress, hats, and facial expressions. One of the drawings is an elaborate proposal for the play's advertisement, conceived as a carved marble marquee of sorts, heralded by a sleeping cougar. The remaining 13 drawings are in black ink and are roughly 5 x 7 inches each, and are character studies, framing ideas, and conceptual proposals for the rather diverse scenarios demanded by the play. Lastly, the archive includes a typed letter signed by Bemelmans, on his East 73rd Street stationery, discussing briefly the marquee concept, and the original mailing envelope addressed to Hume Cronyn. [Book #104856]
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