Girls are so much prettier...

Portrait de Mademoiselle Chanel (1923)

MARIE LAURENCIN

1883-1956

Musee de l'Orangerie

There is another reason to visit Musee de l'Orangerie than Monet's Nympheas, and this is "hidden" in the basement in the farthest corner of the building. There is a small blue room with a bright blue breeze filled with pastel colors and light brush strokes. The paintings by Marie Laurencin.

Danseuses espagnoles (1920/21)

Femmes au chien (1923)

Marie Laurencin began with porcelaine painting, she lived in Paris where she met Braque, Picasso and Apollinaire. With this group she got involved in Art theory and Cubism. Her work however looks untouched by the theories, she found her own style and painted beautiful, sensual and dreamy women. The shapes of their bodies come of as soft, curvaceous and elegant, the way perhaps only French women can be. 

Portrait de Madame Paul Guillaume (1924)

"Why should I paint dead fish, onions and beer glasses? 

Girls are so much prettier."

Marie Laurencin

Les Biches (1923)

Such a relief to find these paintings in the otherwise very male dominated world of masterpieces. Not strange there has been a museum named after her... but this is in Japan...

Marie Laurencin

With Love 

Kristin