Babar Jumps From Bookshelf To Museum Wall

(CBS)  By CBS News' Jamie McGlinchy and Arden Farhi

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Remember that loveable, globetrotting, suit-wearing elephant whose adventures were an indispensable part of your childhood bookshelf?

Yes, Babar. A new exhibit brings him off the page and onto the walls of the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City.

In 2004, the Morgan acquired all the original drawings and manuscripts for Jean de Brunhoff's first book, Histoire de Babar, le petit elephant, and Laurent de Brunhoff's first work, Babar et coquin d'Arthur, providing a detailed insight into the workings of the these two artists who became children's authors known and loved around the world.

Christine Nelson, a curator at the Morgan, has put together a new exhibit celebrating their works called, Drawing Babar: Early Drafts and Watercolors.

Before Babar set sail on his balloon voyage or visited America, Babar and his cohorts were characters in an oral tale told by a mother to her two young boys. The two brothers, Laurent and Mathieu loved the story so much they convinced their father, Jean de Brunhoff, a painter, to make the story of Babar into a book.

"Histoire de Babar" was published in 1931 and was a hit according to his son Laurent de Burnhoff. "It was really a success immediately in France and it was published in London and New York two years after the creation of the book."

In 1937, Jean de Brunhoff died of tuberculosis at the age of 37. His son Laurent was just 12 at the time, but was already sketching and drawing. Laurent decided he had a Babar book in him too.

de Brunhoff says, "as a teenager I've always amused myself drawing elephants, drawing Babar, the idea going on came just like that, after the war when I was going to be an abstract painter. At the same time I said, Babar is my friend I want his life go on."

By 1947 Laurent de Brunhoff had created his first book, "Babar et cocquin d'Arthur." He has now written 37 Babar books and has no plans to stop.

Being in this room is about as close as we can get to stepping in Jean de Brunhoff's studio and watching him work," Nelson said. "I wanted it to be an exhibition that would be accessible to people of all ages so for many people like me who grew up with Babar who have always known him but haven't looked at the books in a while."

So now fans like Helen Goodkin and her granddaughter, 2 year-old Emma, can enjoy the original paintings and sketches together.

"This summer I found a Babar book I had given her father when he was a little boy and when I started reading it to her she just loved Babar the little elephant."