Suzanne Valadon, born Marie-Clémentine Valadon in Bessines-sur-Gartempe, France, defied the gendered constraints of her era to become one of the most original voices of Post-Impressionism.
Very interesting how now I see the Degas / Manet show all over again in my head with her work right next to it. This was illuminating. A lot to think about and read more in-depth. I see a relationship in our earlier discussion now turning into: art-artist-muse-masterpiece.
Her story is compelling. I will find a bio, hopefully on your references, I can sink my teeth into.
She's one of my all time favorites and I'm so happy she's finally getting the attention she deserves. As you probably know, the Barnes Foundation just recently finally gave her an exhibition, and the Pompidou has a current show of hers before it closes for renovations. I live in Boston, and The Dance at the Bougival is everywhere: t-shirts, coffee cups, advertising The truth is, the real SV would have eaten that country bumpkin alive.
Valadon is long overdue for this kind of recognition, and it’s about time institutions are finally giving her work the spotlight it deserves. Her impact on modern art is undeniable....both in her own work and in how she shattered expectations.
“The Abandoned Doll” reminds me of Paula Rego, perhaps she was influenced by Valadon? I like the couch paintings, which reminded me of Freud, also influenced by her? In both cases Valadon has a more warm and loving feeling for the subject matter, while I get the feeling of self-hatred projection from Rego and Freud.
Thanks for writing this Rogue, and bringing Valadon to my awareness.
That’s such a great connection! Paula Rego was definitely aware of Valadon, though I’m not sure she was directly influenced by her. But I can see the parallels....both had a raw, honest approach to depicting women. Rego’s work tends to have a darker, more psychological edge, whereas Valadon’s feels more intimate and affectionate.
And with Freud, while he wasn’t directly influenced by Valadon, her rejection of idealized beauty and focus on the human form definitely helped pave the way. I love your take on the warmth in Valadon’s work versus the self-hatred projection in Rego and Freud.....that contrast is really striking.
So glad this piece introduced you to Valadon! She’s such an underrated force in art history. Thanks for reading!
Very interesting how now I see the Degas / Manet show all over again in my head with her work right next to it. This was illuminating. A lot to think about and read more in-depth. I see a relationship in our earlier discussion now turning into: art-artist-muse-masterpiece.
Her story is compelling. I will find a bio, hopefully on your references, I can sink my teeth into.
She's one of my all time favorites and I'm so happy she's finally getting the attention she deserves. As you probably know, the Barnes Foundation just recently finally gave her an exhibition, and the Pompidou has a current show of hers before it closes for renovations. I live in Boston, and The Dance at the Bougival is everywhere: t-shirts, coffee cups, advertising The truth is, the real SV would have eaten that country bumpkin alive.
Valadon is long overdue for this kind of recognition, and it’s about time institutions are finally giving her work the spotlight it deserves. Her impact on modern art is undeniable....both in her own work and in how she shattered expectations.
Thanks for introducing me to this artist. Her work and story are really captivating. I'm off to look up more of her work.
I'm happy that you enjoyed it!
“The Abandoned Doll” reminds me of Paula Rego, perhaps she was influenced by Valadon? I like the couch paintings, which reminded me of Freud, also influenced by her? In both cases Valadon has a more warm and loving feeling for the subject matter, while I get the feeling of self-hatred projection from Rego and Freud.
Thanks for writing this Rogue, and bringing Valadon to my awareness.
That’s such a great connection! Paula Rego was definitely aware of Valadon, though I’m not sure she was directly influenced by her. But I can see the parallels....both had a raw, honest approach to depicting women. Rego’s work tends to have a darker, more psychological edge, whereas Valadon’s feels more intimate and affectionate.
And with Freud, while he wasn’t directly influenced by Valadon, her rejection of idealized beauty and focus on the human form definitely helped pave the way. I love your take on the warmth in Valadon’s work versus the self-hatred projection in Rego and Freud.....that contrast is really striking.
So glad this piece introduced you to Valadon! She’s such an underrated force in art history. Thanks for reading!