Suzanne Valadon

Suzanne Valadon (1865–1938) was a pioneering French painter and the first woman admitted to the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. Born in Bessines-sur-Gartempe, she began as a circus acrobat before a fall led her to model for renowned artists like Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec. Self-taught, Valadon transitioned to painting, recognized for her bold compositions, vibrant colors and candid depictions of women. Her works often defied traditional conventions, capturing subjects with raw emotion and authenticity. Resisting association with a specific artistic movement, her practice and experimental style resonated with the French and English Post-Impressionists while also echoing themes explored by Expressionist artists.