A major retrospective of the renowned Polish Art Deco painter is on view in Verona.
Featuring over 200 works including oils, drawings, photographs, watercolors, videos, and more, “Tamara de Lempicka” is an extraordinary exhibition dedicated to the life and career of Polish painter Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980). Exploring the relationship between Lempicka’s work, fashion, photography, modern life and culture, and femininity, “Tamara de Lempicka” is sure to send ripples through the art world.
Tamara de Lempicka, “The Blue Scarf,” 1930, oil on panel, 56 ½ x 48 cm. (c) Tamara Art Heritage 2015
The show is divided into eight sections: Tamara de Lempicka’s World, Madame la Baroness, Modern Medievalist, The Artist’s Daughter, Sacred Visions, Amorous Visions, Dandy Deco, and Scandalous Tamara. “La bella Rafaëla” from 1927 is a stunning highlight of the exhibition. Lempicka’s outstanding use of tenebrism, dramatic lighting, and bold, simplified forms imbue the painting with drama, sensuality, and seductiveness. The picture displays a reclining nude female subject wearing vibrant red lipstick. The chiaroscuro found within the subject’s form is absolutely masterful and contrasts with the bold shapes of the body.
Tamara de Lempicka, “Ritratto di Madame Perrot,” 1931-1932, oil on panel, 99 x 65 cm.
(c) Palazzo Forti 2015, Private Collection
“The Blue Scarf” is another tantalizing example from the exhibition. Although it is unclear whether the image is a self-portrait, the sitter bears remarkable similarities to photos of Lempicka. In a bust view, the blond female gazes out of the frame towards the left. In an image characterized by, again, bold shapes and sharp edges, the saturated blues in the woman’s twisting, dancing scarf immediately harness our attention. A sailboat appears to dart and bob to the upper left of the panel.
“Tamara de Lempicka” is on view at the Palazzo Forti in Verona, Italy, through January 31.
To learn more, visit Blouin ARTINFO.
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