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Suzanne Valadon

Suzanne Valadon was born on Sept 23, 1865. From the age of 9 she supported herself as a milliner's apprentice, waitress, a nanny and an acrobat in the circus. She fell and was unable to continue as a trapeze artist. She then became an artist model. In 1883, at the age of 18 she gave birth to her son Maurice.

Maurice Utrillo At His Easel, 1919
Oil On Canvas

Arbi And The Misse, 1927
Oil on wood
13 x 16-7/8 in.

Suzanne Valadon lived in Paris and modeled for Degas, Renoir, Lautrec and others. She would come home and draw her surroundings -intimate sketches of her family and freiends. Degas was the first to see her sketches.He was extremely impressed.

She sketched for 10 years before she could bring herself to try painting. Her first exhibits in the 1890's consisted mainly of portraits. She exhibited her work nationally and internationally.

Portrait of Monsieur Mori 1922 Oil on canvas
23-5/8 x 22-7/16

Still Life With Bouquet of Flowers, 1924 Oil On Canvas
31 1/2 x 23 5/8

During the despression it became increasingly difficult to sell her paintings and once again she descended into poverty.

"My work is finished, and the only satisfaction it gives me is never to have betrayed or surrendered anything in which I believed. You will see that is true one day, perhaps ..."

Suzanne Valadon died April 7, 1938. She invented a life for herself and lived it with passion.

The Cast Off Doll, 1921
Oil on Canvas 53 1/8 x 37 3/8

Flowers c.1930
Oil on Canvas

Return to the Blue Room

Images from Suzanne Valadon by

Jeanine Warnod

For more information on Degas

National Museum of Women in the Arts

	Suzanne Valadon was born on Sept 23, 1865. From the age of 9 she supported herself as a milliner's apprentice, waitress, a nanny and an acrobat in the circus. She fell and was unable to continue as a trapeze artist. She then became an artist model. In 1883, at the age of 18 she gave birth to her son Maurice.
Maurice Utrillo At His Easel, 1919 Oil On Canvas		Arbi And The Misse, 1927 Oil on wood 13 x 16-7/8 in.

	Suzanne Valadon lived in Paris and modeled for Degas, Renoir, Lautrec and others. She would come home and draw her surroundings -intimate sketches of her family and freiends. Degas was the first to see her sketches.He was extremely impressed. She sketched for 10 years before she could bring herself to try painting. Her first exhibits in the 1890's consisted mainly of portraits. She exhibited her work nationally and internationally.
Portrait of Monsieur Mori 1922 Oil on canvas 23-5/8 x 22-7/16		Still Life With Bouquet of Flowers, 1924 Oil On Canvas 31 1/2 x 23 5/8

	During the despression it became increasingly difficult to sell her paintings and once again she descended into poverty. "My work is finished, and the only satisfaction it gives me is never to have betrayed or surrendered anything in which I believed. You will see that is true one day, perhaps ..." Suzanne Valadon died April 7, 1938. She invented a life for herself and lived it with passion.
The Cast Off Doll, 1921 Oil on Canvas 53 1/8 x 37 3/8		Flowers c.1930 Oil on Canvas

	Return to the Blue Room
		Images from Suzanne Valadon by Jeanine Warnod
For more information on Degas		National Museum of Women in the Arts