Suzanne Valadon: the major retrospective exhibition at the Centre Pompidou

Suzanne Valadon is in the spotlight at the Centre Pompidou: the French artist reveals herself in nearly 200 works, brought together for a major exhibition on view from January 15 to May 26, 2025. Drawings and paintings retrace the life and lively career of this painter, who quickly won over the artistic Montmartre of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Born in 1865, Suzanne Valadon began her career in the circus world. An injury soon forced her to change fields, and she became a model for renowned artists. Auguste Renoir, Théophile Alexandre Steinlen, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Jean-Jacques Henner... Serving as muse, she also learned to draw and paint. Her artist friends encouraged this new practice, in which Suzanne Valadon excelled.

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Ignoring the new fashions of cubism and abstract art, the painter decided to explore and immortalize reality. Committed to her own freedom, Suzanne Valadon blazed her own trail. Her talent for nudes - both male and female - was soon recognized. Far from eroticism or voyeurism, the artist is interested in the body, its thousands of details and nuances. The human being is her muse.

The exhibition at the Centre Pompidou also reveals a number of drawings rarely shown to the public, providing an opportunity to better understand and appreciate the artist's creative process, and his universe straddling the centuries and artistic currents.

The exhibition, divided into several themes, highlights the importance of this painter in the world of modern art. Her Parisian life, her view of people, her relationships and influences, and her legacy are all highlighted in this retrospective. The exhibition is also complemented by several works by Suzanne Valadon's colleagues, such as Juliette Roche, Hélène Delasalle and Emilie Charmy.

Suzanne Valadon unveils herself at the Centre Pompidou: don't miss this major exhibition.