The Rehearsal 1936

And… action! 🎭 The Musée Marie Laurencin in Japan is the world’s only museum dedicated to the art of a female painter. Marie Laurencin (1883-1956) was a key figure in the Paris avant-garde scene of the early twentieth century. She was known as a member of the Section d’Or, a French collective who regularly met to discuss modern art styles such as cubism. Though celebrated during her lifetime, Laurencin is now a lesser-known figure in art history; she is often considered only as the muse of the famous poet Guillaume Apollinaire (1880-1918). 📖 Laurencin’s distinctive style is characterised by a combination of vibrant and pastel colours. In this oil painting, ‘The Rehearsal’ (1936), the artist has merged delicate shades of pale pink, white and grey, with pops of bold yellow and blue. She has applied thin layers of paint which evoke the translucency of watercolour. 🎨 ‘The Rehearsal’ depicts a group of five women in theatre costume. Laurencin herself created costumes and sets for theatre during her career – she was even commissioned by the Ballets Russes, a prestigious Parisian ballet company! Here, she depicts the high society worlds of theatre and ballet in a mystical and experimental style. 🩰 Arranged in a loosely triangular composition, Laurencin’s figures are constructed of simplified forms. Their faces are flat and identical in appearance – there is no shadow or depth, giving them an ethereal and dreamlike look. The overall impression is enchanting and otherworldly. 🧝‍♀️ Marie Laurencin often depicted groups of pale and mystical women. Her work has been interpreted as feminine and soft – could this explain why she is less well-known in art history? In 2023, the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia held a major retrospective of the artist. Titled ‘Sapphic Paris’, the exhibition explored themes of queerness and lesbian identity in Laurencin’s painting. 🖼️ What do you think of this work? Does it remind you of any other pieces? 💭👇 Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham