Catalogue for the Exhibition ‘Suzanne Valadon. A Modern Epic’

An epic was, in ancient times, a long poem that told the story of a character who was challenged again and again but, ultimately, successful. This pattern also describes the life of Marie-Clémentine Valadon, who was born in a lower-class family and went on to become an exceptional example of artistic emancipation. She was a famous model, portrayed by the top artists of her time, from Renoir to Toulouse-Lautrec. Self-taught, while posing she learned from these artists and eventually became an artist herself, using the name Suzanne. Her career stretched from the late 19th century to just before World War II. She was quite possibly the first female artist to paint a male nude, a milestone that shows her strong character. Portraits and nudes, particularly women, would become the centre of her work, and are the pieces her reputation is based on. Although attempts have been made to classify her work under various movements, its is one-of-a-kind, combining explicit influences from other artists with a highly identifiable visual language all her own, the prerogative of great artists. What follows is the epic tale of the model who struggled to become an artist and achieved her goal in a male-dominated environment, and in the most difficult context: the cosmopolitan Montmartre of the pioneers of artistic modernity.

Catalogue available in the museum shop.