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Marie Laurencin. Sister of Poets

Photo : Foujita Foundation / Adagp, Paris, 2025 © GrandPalaisRmn (Musée de l'Orangerie) / Franck Raux

Feb 17 – Jul 4

Marie Laurencin. Sister of Poets

Painter, draftswoman, illustrator, poet, set and costume designer, Marie Laurencin was one of the most famous figures of Parisian artistic life in her lifetime. Long viewed solely through the image of an Apollinaire muse, she occupies a unique place at the heart of the avant-gardes and intellectual networks of her time.

Musée du Luxembourg (Paris 6th)

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About

From the early years of the 20th century, she participated in the beginnings of Cubism and Dadaism, frequented the Fauves, and was associated with "nymphism," which was then attributed to her invention. Her palette of pale tones and her almost exclusively female world, populated by solitary women and pairs of friends, compose an immediately recognizable language.

Bringing together nearly 150 works, this retrospective explores the many facets of her career. A poet herself, Laurencin is called "sister of poets." Literature occupies an essential place in her journey: close to the writers of her time, she illustrated numerous works and made the dialogue between text and image a privileged space of creation. Her attraction to women constitutes one of the common threads of her work. Her loves, her friendships, and her links with the Sapphic and intellectual circles of her time, notably those of Gertrude Stein and Natalie Clifford Barney, nourish her universe.

Beyond painting, she also worked for fashion and the performing arts, creating wallpapers, fabrics, theater sets, and costumes. In 1924, she designed those for Les Biches, a ballet by Francis Poulenc choreographed by Bronislava Nijinska, directly inspired by her painted world and which met with great success.

The voice of Marie Laurencin guides the exhibition path, punctuated by radio archives in which her close friends, notably Francis Poulenc and Guillaume Apollinaire, are also heard. These archives reveal the charismatic personality of an artist whose public presence was exceptional and allow us to rediscover the full complexity of her work.

Our take on this event

Step into the soft-hued, ethereal world of an artist who shaped the visual identity of Paris's roaring twenties. Beyond her dreamy paintings of women, this collection unveils a multifaceted talent who moved seamlessly between literature, theatre, and avant-garde circles. It is the perfect opportunity to discover the intimate voice and enduring legacy of a true bohemian icon.

From February 17 to July 4, 2027, the Musée du Luxembourg hosts a major retrospective dedicated to Marie Laurencin. This exhibition gathers nearly 150 works to celebrate an artist who navigated the worlds of cubism, dadaism, and the performing arts with a unique, recognizable aesthetic. Known for her delicate color palette and focus on female subjects, Laurencin maintains a deep connection to literature and her contemporary poets. Visitors can explore this extensive showcase in the 6th arrondissement with ticket prices ranging from 0 to 14 euros. It is an essential opportunity to understand the multifaceted career of a truly charismatic twentieth-century creator.

The Musée du Luxembourg presents a comprehensive look at the career of Marie Laurencin, an artist who played an active role in the early 20th-century avant-garde. The exhibition highlights her signature style, defined by pale tones and the exploration of female figures, reflecting her ties to the intellectual and sapphic circles of figures like Gertrude Stein and Natalie Clifford Barney. The collection brings together nearly 150 pieces, illustrating the dialogue between her painting and her literary interests.

Beyond fine arts, the retrospective showcases her versatile contributions to fashion and theater, including the iconic costumes and sets designed for Francis Poulenc's ballet, Les Biches. Audio archives featuring the voices of Laurencin, Poulenc, and Apollinaire guide you through the galleries, providing historical context and personal insight into the artist's life and work.

The venue welcomes visitors on Mondays from 10:30 to 22:00, and from Tuesday to Sunday between 10:30 and 19:00. Tickets are available at a price point between 0 and 14 euros.

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