An Introduction to Suzanne Valadon

“I had great masters. I took the best of them, of their teachings, of their examples. I found myself, I made myself, and I said what I had to say.” ― Suzanne Valadon

Suzanne Valadon (1865 –1938) was born Marie-Clementine Valadon. She was given the name "Suzanne" by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec after the biblical story, Susanna and the Elders. As a young woman Valadon modeled for de Toulouse-Lautrec and other artists such as de Chavannes and Renoir.

Valadon began a serious pursuit of drawing and painting in 1896 and continued to paint for over forty years. She did not attend a formal art academy but learned from the artists who painted her. She often reinvented classical themes in European art and her work attracted attention because she depicted unidealized nudes.

Valadon was an accomplished painter of her time and was well-respected and admired. She was admitted to professional associations and juried exhibitions during her lifetime. Edgar Degas was an early collector of her artwork. Her artwork is included in the collection of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Grenoble, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, among others.

For more information visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzanne_Valadon