The Centre Pompidou— closing soon for a five year renovation— exhibits famed Montmartre artist Suzanne Valadon (1865-1938) with a retrospective. First a model calling herself Maria, then changing her name to Suzanne Valadon, she learned to draw by observing the work of artists for whom she posed (until May 26, 2025).
Valadon (1865-1938) produced mostly drawings between 1883 and 1893, and began painting in 1892. Her first models were family members. After having posed nude for artists, it was her turn to paint male and female nudes (a subject long reserved for men) in which she imposed a vision that broke with the conventions of her time. Although influenced by Symbolist and Post-Impressionist aesthetics, she didn’t restrict herself to a specific style. Her paintings feature rich colors and bold, open brushwork, often featuring strong black lines defining the outline of her figures.
Throughout the exhibition, paintings by Valadon’s contemporaries (in some cases her friends) are displayed alongside her work.
Suzanne Valadon, until May 26, 2025 at Centre Pompidou, Paris.