Suzanne Valadon: Model, Painter, Rebel

Monika Lind is giving a talk on the life and work of Suzanne Valadon at the Worthing Museum & Art Gallery on Thursday 18 March, starting at 2:00pm. It's a look at one of the most original artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and the story behind her is a proper one.

Valadon was born into poverty in 1865 and spent her early years as a circus performer before becoming one of Paris's most sought-after artists' models. She posed for some of the biggest names of the era, including Renoir and Toulouse-Lautrec, and spent those years watching the techniques of the painters around her. She taught herself to paint from that vantage point, eventually moving from muse to an acclaimed Post-Impressionist artist in her own right. She developed a bold, uncompromising style that pushed against the conventions of the male-dominated Parisian art world, and that transition—from the person being painted to the one holding the brush—is a good part of what the talk will cover.

Monika Lind, a retired university lecturer in Culture and Humanities Studies, will be leading the session. The talk is aimed at an audience of 16 and over, so it's more of a proper discussion than a casual chat. Tickets start from £10.75 plus a £0.75 transaction fee, and it all kicks off at 2:00pm on the Thursday.