Marie
Lorenzen

Marie Laurencin — (FR: Marie Laurencin, October 31, 1883, Paris — June 8, 1956, Paris) French artist, engraver, Illustrator and decorator.

Features the French artist Marie laurencin: Laurencin created her own style, which foreign critics call "Nilfisk". Giving preference to pastel tones, she wrote to air images of the asexual beings, magical beasts, flowers and the pale virgins. The artist was sincerely interested in cubism and Dadaism, transformed his paintings, but never left their own, once the chosen way in art — so were her "delicate cubism". After the First world war, Laurencin created a series of portraits of the Parisian intelligentsia.

Known paintings by the artist Marie laurencin: Self-portrait, "Young women","The family of the poet. Sadiya Levi, his wife Rachel and daughter Liliana", "Guillaume Apollinaire and his friends".

Porcelain, colors and prints

Marie laurencin was born in Paris. Her parents were the Deputy of the Republican Union of Alfred Toole and simple embroiderer Pauline Melanie Laurence a native of the Peninsula Contact. In Tula many years concealed his paternity, despite the fact that until his death supported the mother and daughter financially, allowing them to live in the elite district of Paris.

Restraint mother, her unsociable and hard work was reflected on the girl. She grew silent and efficient, with differing developed sense of beauty. The mother wanted the daughter to become a teacher, but allowed her to learn to paint on porcelain at the Higher school for girls in Sevres. 3 years later, leaving the Sevres, the young artist returned to Paris, where he continued to study at the school of drawing. Madeline Lemere "Empress rose" taught her how to write composition with flowers. This knowledge helped to earn a living: made Marie the mother pictures of flowers embroidered on the fabric.

In 1902, the girl Enrolled in the Academy of Umbara V. Ferdinand , where he met future Cubists Georges Braque. Already received in Sevres knowledge and firmly set the hand allowed Marie to quickly and easily finish the job. "A confident figure, powerful and sensitive at the same time" - talked about her work, the fellow student and future fashion Illustrator Georges Lepap.

After a year she began to study engraving in the Studio of artist Louis zhua-Petrela. At the same time, she creates illustrations for a very juicy collection of poems "Songs of Bilitis".

Creative cycle in Paris

In 1905 Marie for the first time tries to work with oil paints and in the same year, her paintings first appeared at the salon d'automne. Here Laurencin sees the fauves: Matisse, Henri Rousseau and others. Her attitude toward painting is changing.

Acquaintance with Henri-Pierre Roche — collector, writer, journalist and heartthrob - takes place in the Studio of Georges Braque. The young frequenter of meetings and parties struck a restrained and subtle beauty of the girl. The novel Arnie and Marie-Pierre continues a few months — the artist could not stand the endless betrayals. A romantic relationship ends but friendship is not. Roche becomes the first buyer and collector of works by Laurencin.

Guillaume Apollinaire and Marie laurencin

In 1907 Pablo Picasso introduced Marie to her future lover Guillaume Apollinera. When the great cubist first noticed Laurencin at the art shop, immediately went to Apollinaire and said: "I found your girlfriend". With the poet Marie spent the next 5 years of his life, they appeared together everywhere, at the same time the artist continued to live with his mother. Bohemian environment is not too warmly received aristocratic little girl: it was considered a parvenu, not knowing the complexities of the creative life. However, Marie always knew how to present herself and how much time to devote to the artistic circle.

Heavy, short temper Apollinaire, his dictatorship is a negative towards Laurencin became the reason of rupture of the pair. They never got married. However, later the artist explained that their mother was against the marriage, but, most likely, the main reason was the freedom-loving nature of women and the excessive demands of her lover. In 1911, the poet and critic accused - neither more nor less! — the theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre. Wine Apollinaire has not been confirmed, but 11 days it was still held in prison. During this period, Marie never visited and handed him a letter. It was the beginning of the end. In 1913, the couple broke up.

"Delicate cubism" Marie laurencin

In 1907, Picasso created his Les demoiselles d'avignon that amazed contemporaries and give impetus to the creative experiments of Marie Laurencin. She categorically does not want to develop in the mainstream, carefully looking for their own way, and benefits from Apollinaire, who appreciate its twocrystal personality. Laurence creates his own variant of cubism - his critics called, "delicate cubism" or "cubism Rococo". Paintings of the artist of this period — is not an abstraction, not specific to the environment, and fantasy the natural world with the perfected figures of girls.

The more actively developed and popularized cubism, becomes more active creative life Marie. She participates in the Autumn salon, exhibited at the traveling exhibition of the Izdebsky Salon, salon Independent and the exhibition of Russian Literary Society.

Especially productive for Laurencin is getting 1912 — her paintings I see London, Amsterdam and new York.

Former lover Henri-Pierre Marie Rocher provides useful contacts and acquaintances, helps her in organizing exhibitions. And the owner of the Paris gallery William Ude sells the famous artist's painting "Young women" for inconceivable for those years sum of 4000 francs. This event helps Marie to feel financial stability and confidence.

Emigration to Spain

22 Jun 1914 Marie laurencin married a German artist Otto von Wetlina. The first world war forced the couple to seek refuge in Spain. Marie was the enemy of their own country as the wife of a German citizen, and her husband did not want to fight against his beloved France. In Madrid Laurencin painted with gouache and watercolour, talked with other artists who also left their homeland, among which were Robert and Sonia Delaunay.

Having moved to a Villa in Malaga, Marie missed you, was worried about his position of "prisoner", the nostalgia for a past love with Apollinaire and conducted an active correspondence, which in 1916 had learned about the wounding of a former lover.

The next city is Barcelona, where the artist participated in the creation of literary Dadaist journal "391", visited all the productions of "Russian seasons" Diaghilev, again met Picasso. In 1918 the wife of Wethen returned to Madrid, where he learned that all the property of Laurence in France confiscated by the government. In the same year, Marie was shocked with the sad news of the death of Apollinaire.

After the war the couple decided to go to mother von Wetlina in düsseldorf. By the time the relationship went wrong in a pair, Otto began to abuse alcohol. In 1921, Marie divorced her husband and moved again in beloved Paris.

Again Paris

In Paris, the artist becomes really famous – it seems that every lady wants to order from your portrait! Laurencin participated in productions of "Russian seasons", creates posters. During this period she began to study illustration, there is one of the most famous of her works — drawings for "Alice in Wonderland" Carroll.

By the end of the 20's art Laurencin little outdated, her paintings are buying less and less, leaving only the dedicated fans that helped it to stay afloat. In 1931, she began to teach painting students.

Laurence perceives the Second world war not as the source of evil, but as a way of getting rid of Soviet influence in Europe. This opinion was shared by many representatives of the Parisian intelligentsia. She participates in exhibitions and events organised by the national socialists in France. Thanks to the support of the Germans Laurencin demanded again, her work is not delayed in the shop.

The charm of the German power continues as long as France becomes the occupying area, where the Jews have to wear the stripes, and yellow stars, and then disappear: the mass extermination. Laurencin amazed by the burning of the works of the representatives of the so-called "degenerate art" that prevents "a healthier nation". The confiscated property of the artist.

The end of the war and the extinction of

After the war, began the process of cultural figures who were seen as complicit with the Nazis. In list of convicted Laurencin was not possible, due to the fact that the head of the Commission was Picasso. And still 9 days she spent in jail. This fact she had concealed even from those closest to you.

Last years Laurence spent in seclusion, worked hard, carried on a wide correspondence. Having no children, his fortune she bequeathed to daughter Susanna Moreau, who had been her housekeeper.

Marie laurencin died on 8 June 1956 of a heart attack.

Years later, Japanese industrialist Masahiro Takano acquired a large part of the heritage of the artist, which became the basis for the Marie laurencin Museum in Nagano.

Today, the name of the artist can be found in line of the beloved song "L'été indien" performed by Joe Dassin:

Avec ta robe longue, tu ressemblais
A une aquarelle de Marie Laurencin

(In your long dress you looked like a watercolour of Marie Laurencin).


Author: Lyudmila Lebedeva