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Explore nearly 80,000 artworks spanning 5,000 years at the MFAH, one of the largest art museums in the U.S.
Located in Houston’s Museum District, it’s a cultural treasure trove.
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Born Marie-Clémentine in 1865, Valadon grew up doing odd jobs in Montmartre from the age of 10, becoming a model at 15 following an accident as a circus performer. She would change her name to Suzanne at the suggestion of her sometimes boyfriend Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who likened her to the Biblical narrative of "Susanna and the Elders" who was also a young, beautiful woman gazed upon by older males — in Valadon's case: artists. Today, Valadon remains known as the smiling dancer in Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “Dance at Bougival” (1883), as well as paintings and drawings by modernist titans like Toulouse-Lautrec and Pierre Puvis de Chavannes. But Valadon’s life story is distinct from other models: she was also celebrated as an artist in her lifetime. Only after her death did her fame begin to wane, eclipsed by her son artist Maurice Utrillo’s; however, in recent years, Valadon has been recognized more as artist than as model. As artists were ogling her, she also gazed at herself, a penchant that remained throughout her life. Her earliest known work, from 1883, is a self-portrait. She lived a wildly Bohemian life in the 1880s and early 1890s, but seeking stability, in 1896, Valadon married businessman Paul Mousis, just two years before this "Self-Portrait" at the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston was completed. The artist depicts herself in a direct and confident pose, reflecting her rebellious and self-assured spirit. It is a study in contrasts, showcasing her raw, almost defiant expression through bold strokes, while simultaneously exuding a sense of composure and beauty. The painting is characterized by its direct gaze, suggesting a deliberate engagement with us. The background is intentionally left simple, drawing attention to her face and powerful presence. This self-portrait allows Valadon to express her strong personality and independent spirit, defying "traditional" portraits of women at the time.
Self-Portrait by Suzanne Valadon (French) - Oil on canvas / 1898 - Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (Texas) #WomenInArt #ArtText #WomanArtist #FemaleArtist #MFAH #art #SuzanneValadon #Valadon #FrenchArtist #womensart #portraitofawoman #selfportrait #WomenArtists #OilPainting #MuseumofFineArtsHouston
@mfahouston Here’s looking at you! 👀
Celebrating the great artist, John Singer Sargent, born on January 12, 1856.
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John Singer Sargent, “Lady Speyer,” 1907, oil on canvas, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Fayez S. Sarofim Collection.
Also of note is the value control throughout the piece. Notice that the darkest values are within the figures, giving them prominence over the horses where lighter shades are used.
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