Stylistic development
Tamara Gorska-Lempitzky arrived in Paris in 1918 in difficult circumstances: she was only twenty, her husband had no position, and she was the mother of a very young little girl. On the other hand, she had lost none of her remarkable energy. Deciding to continue the studies she had interrupted in St. Petersburg, she signed up for Maurice Denis's course at the Académie Ranson, and that of André Lhote at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. The influence of both teachers made itself felt; for instance, in the wavy lines of "Mother and Child" (B.12) in the fashion of Denis, and in the triangular facets used to build up the face of "The Chinese Man" (B.1), borrowed from Lhote. At this early point of her artistic career, Lempicka had a taste for expressivity, which made her seek out models whose body and face showed deep marks left by life. Increasingly, she took to painting themes beyond the academy studio's range, and to adding props that provide clues as to the sitter's psychological attitude or social status (cf. especially "The Fortune-Teller" [B.6], "The Polo Player" [B.8], or "Redheaded Woman Reading " [B.11]).
Tamara Gorska-Lempitzky arrived in Paris in 1918 in difficult circumstances: she was only twenty, her husband had no position, and she was the mother of a very young little girl. On the other hand, she had lost none of her remarkable energy. Deciding to continue the studies she had interrupted in St. Petersburg, she signed up for Maurice Denis's course at the Académie Ranson, and that of André Lhote at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. The influence of both teachers made itself felt; for instance, in the wavy lines of "Mother and Child" (B.12) in the fashion of Denis, and in the triangular facets used to build up the face of "The Chinese Man" (B.1), borrowed from Lhote. At this early point of her artistic career, Lempicka had a taste for expressivity, which made her seek out models whose body and face showed deep marks left by life. Increasingly, she took to painting themes beyond the academy studio's range, and to adding props that provide clues as to the sitter's psychological attitude or social status (cf. especially "The Fortune-Teller" [B.6], "The Polo Player" [B.8], or "Redheaded Woman Reading " [B.11]).
Portrait of Irena Kleinman
Portrait of Bearded Man
Sketch. Portrait of Male Nude from Behind
Fashion Illustration
Study of a Kneeling Woman
Musician
Portrait of Ira Perrot
Cubesizing Female Nude
Nude Leaning on Her Elbows
Seated Nude with an Elbow on Her Knee
Kneeling Nude
Seated Woman, Cubist
Futurist Composition
The Chinese Man
Woman Wearing a Shawl, in Profile
Flowerpot with Fuchsias
Bouquet of Hortensias and Lemon
Portrait of a Peasant with a Headdress
The Fortune-Teller
Portrait of a Young Lady in a Blue Dress
Portrait of a Polo Player
Portrait of a Little Girl with Her Teddy Bear
Portrait of a Young Lady with a Hat
Redheaded Woman Reading
Mother and Child
The Kiss
The Checkered Hat
Portrait of a Sad Young Lady
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Portrait of Irena Kleinman
A.0011915Crayon on paper28,5 x 16 cm (11 1/4 x 6 1/4 in)Tamara Gorska 1915 (bottom right)(Portrait d'Irena Kleinman)Collections1915 - Collection of Mrs. Kurt Weiss - U.S.A. -
Portrait of Bearded Man
A.002circa1915Crayon on paper24 x 15 cm (9 1/2 x 5 7/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA (artist's stamp bottom right)(Portrait d'homme barbu)Auctions21/06/1988 - PARIS. Briest, # 171 $ 1 835 -
Sketch. Portrait of Male Nude from Behind
A.003circa1920Crayon on paper44 x 28 cm (17 3/8 x 11 in)T.DE LEMPICKA (artist's stamp bottom right)(Croquis. Homme nu de dos)Auctions21/06/1988 - PARIS. Briest, # 176 $ 2 500 -
Fashion Illustration
A.004circa1920Watercolor on paper20 x 12,1 cm (7 7/8 x 4 3/4 in)T.L (bottom right)(Illustration de mode)Collections1972 - Private collection - France -
Study of a Kneeling Woman
A.005circa1921Crayon on paper, (Etude d'une femme agenouillée)23,5 x 15,5 cm (9 1/4 x 6 1/8 in)(Etude d'une femme agenouillée) -
Musician
A.006circa1921Crayon on paper23,7 x 15,6 cm (9 3/8 x 6 1/8 in)(Musicienne)In 1929, this drawing would serve as a basis for "The Musician".Collections1980 - Fundacion Victor Manuel Contreras - Mexico -
Portrait of Ira Perrot
A.007circa1922Crayon on paper44 x 28 cm (17 3/8 x 11 in)Lempicka (artist's stamp bottom right)(Portrait d'Ira Perrot)HistoryIra PERROT, Family or close friend: Until 1939, Ira Perrot and Lempicka were close friends. Besides sitting for her 1930 portrait ("Portrait of Ira Perrot" [B.143]), most probably Perrot was also the model for "Woman in the Black Dress" (B.31) and "Her Sadness" (B.30). The latter work is listed in Kizette de Lempicka-Foxhall's book as "Portrait of Mrs. P." -
Cubesizing Female Nude
A.008circa1922Crayon on paper29 x 15 cm (11 3/8 x 5 7/8 in)de Lempicka (bottom right)(Nu féminin “cubisant”)Collections1986 - Private collection - FranceAuctions05/05/1986 - PARIS. Renaud, # 23 $ 0 -
Nude Leaning on Her Elbows
A.009circa1922Crayon on paper30,5 x 23 cm (12 x 9 in)(Nu accoudé)Auctions02/11/1993 - NEW YORK. Christie's East “Greg-7489”, # 129 $ 2 500
16/02/1989 - NEW YORK. Christie's “Vicki-6762”, # $ 1 400
18/02/1988 - NEW YORK. Christie's “Shira-6540”, # 58 $ 0 -
Seated Nude with an Elbow on Her Knee
A.010circa1922Crayon on paper30,5 x 23 cm (12 x 9 in)LEMPICKA (artist's stamp bottom left)(Nu assis, un coude sur le genou)Auctions21/06/1988 - PARIS. Briest, # 157 $ 6 330 -
Kneeling Nude
A.011circa1922Crayon on paper20,5 x 16,5 cm (8 1/8 x 6 1/2 in)LEMPICKA (artist's stamp bottom left)(Nu agenouillé)Auctions21/06/1988 - PARIS. Briest, # 175 $ 2 500 -
Seated Woman, Cubist
A.012circa1922Crayon on paper18,5 x 13 cm (7 1/4 x 5 1/8 in)LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp bottom right)(Femme assise, cubiste)Collections1989 - Collection of Anna Gardner Luce - U.S.A. -
Futurist Composition
A.013circa1922Crayon on paper20,3 x 13,2 cm (8 x 5 1/4 in)LEMPICKA (artist's stamp bottom right)(Composition futuriste)Collections1972 - Private collection - France -
The Chinese Man
B.001circa1921Oil on canvas35 x 27 cm (13 3/4 x 10 5/8 in)DE LEMPICKA. (top right)(Le Chinois *)On the back: "The Chinese Man / painted by Tamara de Lempicka 1921". The signature and (approximate) date were no doubt added by Tamara de Lempicka in 1976, when she donated eighteen paintings to the Museums of France.Collections1976 - Musée des Beaux-Arts du Havre - FranceExhibitions1997 - Hiroshima Museum of Arts. Tamara de Lempicka, Tokyo-Hiroshima, Japan -
Woman Wearing a Shawl, in Profile
B.002circa1922Oil on canvas61 x 46 cm (24 x 18 1/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp bottom left)(Femme de profil vêtue d'un châle)Collections1925 - Purchased directly by Mrs. Blanche Cheyr - France
1993 - Barry Friedman Ltd. - U.S.A. -
Flowerpot with Fuchsias
B.003circa1922Oil on cardboard49,5 x 33,5 cm (19 1/2 x 13 1/4 in)DE LEMPICKA. (top left)(Le pot de Fuschias)Collections1950 - Private collection - France
1995 - Private collection - France -
Bouquet of Hortensias and Lemon
B.004circa1922Oil on canvas55 x 46 cm (21 5/8 x 18 1/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp bottom left)(Bouquet d’hortensias et citron)Collections1925 - Purchased directly by Mrs. Blanche Cheyr - France
1992 - Barry Friedman Ltd. - U.S.A.
1994 - Private collection - PolandAuctions24/11/1992 - PARIS. Rabourdin, Choppin de Janvry, # 17 $ 0 -
Portrait of a Peasant with a Headdress
B.005circa1922Oil on canvas(Portrait d'une paysanne avec une coiffe)A painting identified through a photo of the artist's studio taken by Lempicka's cousin, Constantin Stifter.Collections1922 - Unknown collection - -
The Fortune-Teller
B.006circa1922Oil on canvas73 x 60 cm (28 3/4 x 23 5/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp bottom right)(La diseuse de bonne aventure)At the start of her career, the artist must have had her doubts about what the future held in store...Collections1925 - Purchased directly by Mrs. Blanche Cheyr - France
1993 - Barry Friedman Ltd. - U.S.A.Exhibitions1996 - Barry Friedman Ltd. "Tamara de Lempicka", New-York, United StatesAuctions24/11/1992 - PARIS. Rabourdin, Choppin de Janvry, # 15 $ 0 -
Portrait of a Young Lady in a Blue Dress
B.0071922Oil on canvas63 x 53 cm (24 3/4 x 20 7/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp top left)(Portrait d'une jeune femme en robe bleue)The sitter for this portrait was Ira Perrot, in whose house a photograph was taken showing a first circa ion of this painting, where the young lady is seated on some cushions. This second circa ion of that portrait, is centered differently, far closer up and thus more modern. The artist would intensify later works in this same manner.Collections1925 - Purchased directly by Mrs. Blanche Cheyr - France
1993 - Barry Friedman Ltd. - U.S.A.Exhibitions1922 - Salon d'Automne 1922, Paris, France
1994 - Accademia di Francia (Villa Medici), "Tamara de Lempicka/ Tra eleganza e trasgressione", Rome, Italy
1996 - Barry Friedman Ltd. "Tamara de Lempicka", New-York, United States
1997 - Hiroshima Museum of Arts. Tamara de Lempicka, Tokyo-Hiroshima, JapanHistory1922, Chronology: Exhibited for the first time at the Salon d'Automne: her first portrait of Ira Perrot, with whom she had embarked on a relationship that was to last several years. De Lempicka set up house in an apartment in the Place Wagram where her attentive cousin, Constantin Stiffer, photographed her recent paintings.
Ira PERROT, Family or close friend: Until 1939, Ira Perrot and Lempicka were close friends. Besides sitting for her 1930 portrait ("Portrait of Ira Perrot" [B.143]), most probably Perrot was also the model for "Woman in the Black Dress" (B.31) and "Her Sadness" (B.30). The latter work is listed in Kizette de Lempicka-Foxhall's book as "Portrait of Mrs. P."Auctions24/11/1992 - PARIS. Rabourdin, Choppin de Janvry, # 15 $ 0 -
Portrait of a Polo Player
B.008circa1922Oil on canvas73 x 60 cm (28 3/4 x 23 5/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp bottom left)(Portrait d'un joueur de polo)First portrait of a man bearing an arrogant expression. The way his head is held, and his gloved hand holding a whip, foreshadow the artist's subsequent portraits of Italian aristocrats. The man portrayed could be Tadeusz Lempitzky, Lempicka's first husband.Collections1925 - Purchased directly by Mrs. Blanche Cheyr - France
1993 - Barry Friedman Ltd. - U.S.A.
1996 - Private collection - U.S.A.Exhibitions1994 - Accademia di Francia (Villa Medici), "Tamara de Lempicka/ Tra eleganza e trasgressione", Rome, Italy
1996 - Barry Friedman Ltd. "Tamara de Lempicka", New-York, United StatesHistory1919, Chronology: The family moved to Paris, and De Lempicka's parents took up residence in an inexpensive hotel in Passy. Tamara and Tadeusz took temporary refuge in the large apartment of Constantin Stiffer, a cousin. Birth of their daughter Kizette.
Tadeusz LEMPITZKI, Family or close friend: In 1916, in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), Tamara Gorska married Count Tadeusz Lempitzki (or Lempicki, since the nobiliary particle was added later, in France). After jointly emigrating to France with their daughter Kizette, the couple divorced in 1928.Auctions24/11/1992 - PARIS. Rabourdin, Choppin de Janvry, # 16 $ 0 -
Portrait of a Little Girl with Her Teddy Bear
B.009circa1922Oil on canvas65 x 50 cm (25 5/8 x 19 5/8 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp bottom right)(Portrait d'une fillette avec son ourson)Conceivably, it this was this portrait of Kizette, Lempicka's daughter, that went on display at the Bottega di Poesia gallery and was entitled "Ritratto di fanciulla". The teddy bear would reappear in the later "Portrait of Miss Poum Rachou".Collections1984 - Private collection - SpainExhibitions1925 - Bottega di Poesia, "Tamara de Lempitzka", Milan, ItalyHistory1919, Chronology: The family moved to Paris, and De Lempicka's parents took up residence in an inexpensive hotel in Passy. Tamara and Tadeusz took temporary refuge in the large apartment of Constantin Stiffer, a cousin. Birth of their daughter Kizette.
Her Daughter KIZETTE, Family or close friend: Lempicka gave birth to her daughter at a very young age. Quite early on, she used Kizette as a model, painting her through a marvelling eye. The five large-scale portraits she did of Kizette, between 1923 and 1933, remain among the most noteworthy of her artistic accomplishments. Baroness de Lempicka-Foxhall, as Kizette has now become, gathered together her recollections and, with the help of Charles Phillips, published them in the form of a biography in 1987: Passion by Design, The Art and Times of Tamara de Lempicka, op.cit. -
Portrait of a Young Lady with a Hat
B.010circa1922Oil on canvas(Portrait de jeune femme avec chapeau)A painting identified through a photo of Lempicka's studio taken by her cousin, Constantin Stifter.Collections1922 - Unknown collection - -
Redheaded Woman Reading
B.011circa1922Oil on canvas92 x 73 cm (36 1/4 x 28 3/4 in)T.DE LEMPICKA. (artist's stamp top right)(Femme rousse lisant)The artist reverted several times to the theme of a woman reading. The choice of a model - with a face so deeply lined by life - ties in with other, equally cruel portraits, testifying to Lempicka's permanent state of anxiety. Although fascinated by beauty, she was at the same time painfully aware of its fleeting nature.Collections1972 - Private collection - FranceExhibitions1997 - Hiroshima Museum of Arts. Tamara de Lempicka, Tokyo-Hiroshima, JapanAuctions18/06/1990 - PARIS. Charbonneaux., # 9 $ 0 -
Mother and Child
B.012circa1922Oil on canvas92 x 65 cm (36 1/4 x 25 5/8 in)(Mère et enfant)The subject of this study, created under the direct influence of Maurice Denis, is one to which the artist would revert in several later works..Collections1980 - Private collection - FranceHistoryThe RELIGIOUS FEELING, Biography, Psychology: Religious feeling, intrinsic to Tamara de Lempicka's nature, began showing through in her oeuvre with works such as "Mother and Child" (B.12), although, admittedly, this work in particular was created under the direct influence of Maurice Denis. The moral crisis undergone by the artist from 1934 to 1936 exacerbated this feeling. And, finally, at the end of her life, Lempicka commended her soul to God through her numerous replicas of Madonna and St. Anthony (which, moreover, stood side to side with other copies of the sulfurous Rafaëla). -
The Kiss
B.013circa1922Oil on canvas50 x 61 cm (19 5/8 x 24 in)DÉ DÉ (top left & bottom right)(Le baiser)In this painting, Lempicka - striving to personalize her style - experimented with several procedures. Among these, the presence of an urban background (and also a port?), handled in Cubist fashion, would prove especially fruitful. Notice that the man wears the same clothing accessories - a black overcoat, a white scarf, and a top hat - as her husband Tadeusz. Six years later, she would do the latter's full length portrait. The woman whose head is thrown back matches one of the figures in "Group of Four Nudes", 1925 (B.64).Collections1977 - Private collection - FranceHistoryTadeusz LEMPITZKI, Family or close friend: In 1916, in Petrograd (St. Petersburg), Tamara Gorska married Count Tadeusz Lempitzki (or Lempicki, since the nobiliary particle was added later, in France). After jointly emigrating to France with their daughter Kizette, the couple divorced in 1928. -
The Checkered Hat
B.014circa1922Oil on canvas(Le chapeau à damiers)All trace of this pochade has been lost. This photograph of it belongs to a set taken of this Lempicka's paintings by her cousin, Constantin Stifter, in her studio at Place Wagram, Paris. -
Portrait of a Sad Young Lady
B.015circa1922Oil on canvas(Portrait d'une jeune femme triste)A pensive young lady is seated against a background of stylized vegetation. Failing a better hypothesis, this painting could well be the "Portrait of Autumn" listed in the Bottega di Poesia gallery exhibition catalog. It can be likened to those that the artist did of her friend Ira Perrot, especially the one entitled "Her Sadness". A painting identified through a photo of tLempicka's studio taken by her cousin, Constantin Stifter.Collections1922 - Unknown collection -Exhibitions1925 - Bottega di Poesia, "Tamara de Lempitzka", Milan, Italy