Artist Suzanne Valadon

joy of life, suzanne valadon, metropolitan museum of art

it commonly believed valadon taught herself how draw @ age of nine. valadon painted still lifes, portraits, flowers, , landscapes noted strong composition , vibrant colors. was, however, best known candid female nudes depict women s bodies woman s perspective. particularly important because unusual in nineteenth century woman artist make female nudes primary subject matter. valadon not confined specific style, yet both symbolist , post-impressionist aesthetics seen within work.

accomplishments

her second portrait created in 1883 @ age 18 before gave birth son. produced drawings 1883-1893 , began painting in 1892. first models family members, son, mother, or niece. first female nude made in 1892. first exhibitions, held in 1890s, consisted of portraits, example of erik satie 1893. regularly showed work @ galerie bernheim-jeune in paris. valadon’s first time in salon de la nationale in 1894. degas notably first person buy drawings her. degas taught skill of soft-ground etching.

casting of net, 1914, suzanne valadon

in 1896, valadon became full-time painter after marriage paul moussis. made shift drawing painting starting in 1909. first large oils salon related sexual pleasure, , of first examples in painting man object of desire woman. these notable salon paintings include adam et eve (adam , eve) (1909), la joie de vivre (joy of living) (1911), lancement du filet (casting of net) (1914). valadon produced around 300 drawings , on 450 oil paintings end of life.

today, of works may seen @ centre georges pompidou in paris, museum of grenoble, , @ metropolitan museum of art in new york.

style

valadon worked oil paint, oil pencils, pastels, , red chalk; did not use ink or watercolor because these media fluid preference. valadon’s paintings feature rich colors , bold, open brushwork featuring firm black lines define , outline figures. used hard black lines emphasize structure of body. used firm lines in nudes emphasize play of light on curves.

valadon’s self-portraits, portraits, nudes, landscapes, , still lifes remain detached trends , aspects of academic art. subjects of valadon’s paintings reinvent old masters themes: women bathing, reclining nudes, , interior scenes. nudes valadon paints veer far norms of male-dominated genre; paintings interpreted in different way contradict or question nature of genre. many have suggested vibrant, emotional sense emanates drawings , paintings result intimate, familiar observation of these women’s bodies. valadon, berthe morisot , mary cassatt painted women, yet because of middle class status in french society @ time unable paint nude body, regardless of gender. valadon emphasized focus on importance of composition of portraits on painting expressive eyes. later works, such blue room (1923), brighter in color , show new emphasis on decorative backgrounds , patterned materials.

it’s thought experience model , artist allowed analyze process transformed , positioned body object of gaze within work of art , influenced understanding , perspective of women , female body. valadon has been considered transgressive in position woman painting nude female body. class allowed enter male public domain of art through modeling , emerge artist within circle of prominent male artists. resists typical depictions of women via class , supposed sexuality through use of unidealized , self-possessed bodies not overly sexualized.