Art Wednesday: Tamara de Lempicka
Artist: Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980)
Born: Poland
Style: Art deco
Born into a wealthy and prominent family, her father was Boris Gurwik-Górski, a Polish lawyer, and her mother, a Polish socialite. She attended boarding school in Switzerland, and spent the winter of 1911 with her grandmother in Italy and on the French Riviera, where she was treated to her first taste of the Great Masters of Italian painting. In 1912, her parents divorced and Maria went to live with her wealthy Aunt in St. Petersburg, Russia.
In 1917, during the Russian Revolution her 1st husband was arrested —after his release the de Lempickas moved to Paris. Here she lead a bohemian lifestyle in Paris and was well known for her wild and reckless antics. Obsessed with her work and her social life, de Lempicka neglected more than her husband; she rarely saw her daughter. Her daughter was so angry at her mother she burned her enormous collection of designer hats. Regardless of the lack of relationship de Lempicka used her daughter as a model for many of her works— She fled Europe with her 2nd husband Baron Raoul Kuffner at the onset of war and settle in the USA. She managed to get her daughter out of Europe in 1941.
The blue scarf
Portrait of Pierre de Montaut
Arums
Mother and child
Peasant woman
Blonde child
Portrait of bearded man
Abstract Composition in Blue no. 1
In the 1950's de Lempicks moved into an abstract stage.
Below is a photo of the artist with her daughter - a very rocky relationship between the two.
The artist at work
~oOo~
Hmmm... not really my style, as you already know! The portrait of Pierre isn't too bad though :)
ReplyDeleteInteresting paintings, but I can't say I like them too much. I can see a bit of Picasso in her work. The last photograph, where the artist is at work, she looks a bit frightening!
ReplyDeleteI love the vibrant color of the first painting. Also, the pose of the blonde child is sweet. But, there is something about Art Deco or abstract painting that seems rebellious and chaotic to me.
ReplyDeleteIt’s interesting how people view art and how one person can love something and another can't stand it. Most of the art I do show are ones I like, those I don't, you rarely get to see!!
ReplyDeleteMrs Santos - I love Art Deco as it has an industrial feel about it, structured and in control, however you see it very differently. I don't see it as chaotic at all - interesting. I also like the architecture and furniture of the times to.
Madame Wildflower – I also thought the photo of the artist was a bit scary, perhaps that’s more due to how long it took to take the photo.
Clara – I knew you weren’t going to like these, but I do like to share art of different styles.
Hi Jo~ it IS funny how people can view somethings so differently. Some of the art that brings me such joy to look at makes my own sister feel depressed.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the variety.