Suzanne Valadon’s successful career as an artist defied the odds of her circumstances. One of only a few women artists in fin-de-siècle Paris whose primary subject was the female nude, her paintings, prints and drawings undermined social and artistic conventions while also recording the realities of her life.
Born Marie-Clémentine Valadon in 1865, she was the illegitimate child of a maid. At an early age, she and her mother moved to Montmartre, the epicenter of the Parisian avant-garde. Surrounded by a bohemian world at the height of its activity, she taught herself how to draw at the age of nine. Although she could not afford private lessons, Valadon was able to overcome the limitations of her marginalized social position by becoming a figure model, thus providing her direct entry into the artist’s studio, much-needed income, and opportunities and connections that would last a lifetime.
Between 1880 and 1890, Valadon became a sought-after model within the studios of some of the best-known Impressionist and Post-Impressionist artists. Under the pseudonym Maria, she posed for Pierre Puvis de Chavannes and Pierre-Auguste Renoir; she later assumed the name Suzanne at the suggestion of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. As she posed for these artists, she studied their techniques and methods, incorporating them into her work, which typically portrayed children, interior scenes, or portraits.
A drawing of 1890, La Mère de Suzanne Valadon et son Fils Maurice notably depicts the artist’s mother with Suzanne’s illegitimate son — the future landscape painter Maurice Utrillo. Valadon’s relationship with Toulouse-Lautrec, professional and intimate, was especially instrumental to her artistic development. He not only encouraged her after seeing some of her drawings but also introduced her to Edgar Degas, who would have a profound impact on Valadon’s career. One of the first to purchase her artworks, he became her mentor and remained a close friend throughout her life.
In the early 1890s, Degas introduced Valadon to soft-ground etching, a technique that required deeply incised lines, resulting in dark lines and thick contours of the figures depicted. Valadon’s etchings of women at their toilette of 1895 and 1896 reveal the influence of Degas’ works, which also informed Valadon’s signature drawing technique.
In Jeanne et son Chien, Valadon captures a private scene of a young woman seated on a settee with her dog at her feet. Although the identity of the figure is not definitively known, it possibly depicts her close friend Jeanne Wenz, who also modeled for Toulouse-Lautrec.
The artist’s distinctive heavy outlines encircle both the figure and her pet in Jeanne et son Chien, defining the curve of the model’s back, as well as her folded arm, outstretched leg, and foot that rests on the canine’s back as it dozes peacefully on the floor. Valadon here renders the settee and the fabric on which the model sits with notably lighter strokes and subtle shading — just enough to subtly define the folds of the cloth. The soft features of the model, particularly her face, are similarly delicately rendered, contrasting beautifully with the dark outlines.
Valadon was acutely aware of how one’s body positioning translated into non-verbal cues, and her time as a figure model — as the object of artists’ intense scrutiny — undoubtedly influenced the structure of her compositions. The dark outlines of the model’s outstretched leg provide visual entry into Jeanne et son Chien's scene, but the nude model remains occupied within the space of the scene, seemingly unaware of the artist’s presence and firmly absorbed in her examination of her leg. Valadon’s compositions often showcased models engaged in mundane activities, and here both the model and her canine companion are shown in a quiet, self-possessed moment, unfazed by the presence of anyone else in the room.
Valadon was one of the most innovative female artists of her day, and in addition to being celebrated by some of her most famous contemporaries, she held the distinction of being the first woman to gain entry into the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts. In addition to numerous gallery exhibitions, she contributed to the Salon d’Automne and the Salon des Indépendants throughout her lifetime.
At the early signs of her son’s mental illness, Valadon encouraged him to pursue painting and became his principal teacher, leading to the popular success for Utrillo that would be greater than her own. Valadon worked well into her 60s, and by the time of her death, had made over 450 oil paintings, 300 drawings, and more than 30 etchings.
Find original Suzanne Valadon art for sale on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Robert Simon Fine Art)
Grandma and Little Boy - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E18)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Grandma and Little Boy, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this et...
Etching
Women and Children by the River - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E6)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Women and Children by the River, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932...
Etching
$1,975
Mary in the Tub Sponging Herself - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E13)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Mary in the Tub Sponging Herself, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 193...
Etching
Maurice Utrillo, Modern Lithograph by Suzanne Valadon
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Long Island City, NY
Suzanne Valadon, French (1865 - 1938) - Maurice Utrillo, Year: 1928, Medium: Lithograph on thin woven paper, signed and dated in the plate, Image Size: 8.75 x 7 inches, Size: 12.5 ...
Lithograph
Woman Naked on the Sofa - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E4)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Woman Naked on the Sofa, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this e...
Etching
Naked Women Under the Trees - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E9)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Naked Women Under the Trees, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, th...
Etching
Lying Naked Woman - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E11)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Lying Naked Woman, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this etching...
Etching
Nude Woman in the Bath - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E1)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Nude Woman in the Bath, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this et...
Etching
Naked Woman in the Bath - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E2)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Naked Woman in the Bath, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this e...
Etching
$2,904
Toileting Children in the Garden - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E19)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Toileting Children in the Garden, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 53.5 x 44 cm (c. 21 x 17.3 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 193...
Etching
Young Woman Sponging Herself - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E12)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Young Woman Sponging Herself, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, t...
Etching
Mother and Son - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E15)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Mother and Son, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this etching is...
Etching
Two Naked Women in the Bathroom - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E7)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Two Naked Women in the Bathroom, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932...
Etching
Women Wiping Themselves - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E8)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Women Wiping Themselves, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this e...
Etching
Nude Woman Doing her Hair - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E5)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Nude Woman Doing her Hair, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this...
Etching
Young Woman and Old Woman - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E24)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Young Woman and Old Woman, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this...
Etching
Grandmother and Child - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E14)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Grandmother and Child, 1932 Original etching Signed in pencil On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5 x 14.5 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this etc...
Etching
$700
H 15 in W 12.75 in
Small Nude /// Philip Pearlstein Etching Figurative Female Post-War New York Art
By Philip Pearlstein
Located in Saint Augustine, FL
Artist: Philip Pearlstein (American, 1924-2022) Title: "Small Nude" *Signed and dated by Pearlstein in pencil lower right Year: 1976 Medium: Original Soft-Ground Etching on German Et...
Etching
Pablo Picasso - The Painter - Lithograph
By Pablo Picasso
Located in Collonge Bellerive, Geneve, CH
Pablo Picasso - Lithograph Title: Painter and his Model From the illustrated book "Regards sur Paris" (Paris: André Sauret, 1962) Pulled from the folio numbered 85 from the edition o...
Lithograph
$1,729
H 22.05 in W 15.36 in D 0.6 in
Grand Prix De Rome Submission Circa 1906 Académie D’Homme Nude With Arrow
Located in Sutton Poyntz, Dorset
A Grand Prix De Rome Submission Circa 1906. “Académie D’Homme” Nude Throwing An Arrow. Period Print (Lithograph or Heliogravure). Image size 19 inches x 12.2 inches ( 48cm x 31cm ). Frame size 22 inches x 15.4 inches ( 56cm x 39cm ). Available for sale; this antique reproductive plate (usually a lithograph or heliogravure) after the original competition drawing is annotated Premier Grand Prix De Rome and is dated in the margin 1906. The print is presented and supplied in a sympathetic contemporary wooden frame (which is shown in these photographs) and behind glass. This antique print is in good material condition with age toning to the paper along with a scattering of aged blemishes. It is supplied ready to hang and display. The print carries a dedication lower right in the margin. An incomplete (partial) ink stamp in the lower left hand corner makes reference to an Anvers (Antwerp) institution. This finely executed early 20th-century figure print of a drawing is of the Académie d’Homme genre (traditional academic nude study). It depicts a nude male figure in dynamic contrapposto, shown mid-action as he prepares to throw an arrow. The pose combines classical balance with controlled movement, reflecting the rigorous standards of French academic training at the turn of the century. The image is a period print, likely produced as a lithograph or heliogravure, after an original competition drawing. It is annotated “Premier Grand Prix de Rome” and dated 1906 in the margin, indicating that the original of this work was a submission to the prestigious Prix de Rome competition, the highest accolade for academic artists in France. Such works were commonly reproduced for study, reference and institutional circulation and it is likely that this reproduction was made in the same year, or shortly afterwards. Rendered with careful anatomical precision, the figure demonstrates a deep understanding of musculature, proportion and weight distribution, hallmarks of École des Beaux-Arts instruction. The neutral background focuses attention entirely on the human form, emphasising clarity of line and sculptural modelling. This circa 1906 academic male nude print...
Paper, Lithograph
$1,200
H 31 in W 37.6 in
Four Figures and a Head, on Giant Phallus by Claes Oldenburg erotic nude scene
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
This sensuous and playful scene is characteristic of Oldenburg’s printmaking ouevre: a veritable heap of women displaying various expressions of joy and come-hither coquettishness. T...
Etching
Plate XII, Le Cocu Magnifique
By Pablo Picasso
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Plate XII, Le Cocu Magnifique Etching & aquatyint, 1968 From the unsigned edition of 200 impressions printed on Rives BFK paper There is also a signed edition of 30 impressions The s...
Aquatint
Modern Pair of Oriental Numbered and Signed Etching
Located in Roma, IT
1970s Pair of black and white important numbered and signed etching. Japan 1973. Every item of our Gallery, upon request, is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued by S...
Paper, Lithograph
$712Sale Price|25% Off
H 16 in W 12 in
"Seated Nude" 2002 colorful lithograph of female figure at rest - unframed
By Beth Rundquist
Located in Sag Harbor, NY
Edition 7/22 A resident of East Hampton, New York, Beth Rundquist paints portraits, still lifes, figures and plein air landscapes. Its refreshing to see an academically trained pai...
Lithograph
Neue Träume von Glück (New Dreams of Happiness)
By Max Klinger
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Neue Träume von Glück (New Dreams of Happiness) Etching on heavy laid paper without watermark, 1887 Unsigned, as usual From: Eine Liebe (Opus X) [A Love (Opus X)], Plate No. 7 fourth...
Etching
$1,500
H 36 in W 27.5 in
Figure and Phallus: erotic nude drawing of woman in heels in rainbow of colors
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
This etching features a nude woman in high heels. Whipping her head to the left, she gazes intently past the viewer through a wild tangle of tresses. A sunhat with a bow nearly floats off her head, a tongue-in-cheek nod to modesty. Taking a wide stance, she straddles a comically large phallus, which springs up eagerly from the ground like a plant. Unusually, this etching was drawn directly onto the plate from the artist’s imagination and not from a life model. This spontaneity is visible around the woman’s bust and arms, where Oldenburg sketched several variations of her anatomy, giving the impression of a figure in movement. Beside her left breast, Oldenburg extends this halo of lines by cheekily doodling a small, floating phallus. Paper 36 x 27.5 in. / 91.4 x 69.2 cm. Plate 23.5 x 17.7 in. / 59.7 x 45.1 cm. Etching in one color on white, thick, slightly textured Wookey Hole handmade paper watermarked with the artist’s signature. Signed by the artist and dated 1975 lower right in pencil. The edition of 60 includes ten prints in each of six different ink colors: Indigo blue, vermilion, mauve, burnt sienna, astral blue, and yellow-ochre. A copy of each color is available: this listing is for one copy in the color of your choice. As recorded in the artist’s unpublished notes: “In 1974 an ambitious project for a suite of large-scale etchings was hatched with Paul Cornwall-Jones, for production by Maurice Payne in Petersburg Press’s new Pembroke studios in London. The project would consist of meticulous transcriptions of a certain group of drawings...
Etching
Bust (Mauve): Erotic drawing of nude bound woman
By Claes Oldenburg
Located in New York, NY
Printed in rich astral blue, this etching depicts a nude woman from the waist up. Emerging from her cupid’s-bow lips, the tip of a phallus imitates a ball gag, and across her chest, ...
Etching
$9,000
H 54 in W 90.5 in
Semen: large scale expressionist nude male figure portrait, floating in pink
By Francesco Clemente
Located in New York, NY
This large scale, ethereal portrait depicts a tranquil male nude figure floating in pink and blue. Based on a tempera painting, an expressionist, emotive piece to bring dramatic impa...
Drypoint, Etching, Aquatint
Plate IV, Le Cocu Magnifique
By Pablo Picasso
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Plate IV, Le Cocu Magnifique etching & aquatint, 1968 Unsigned on the print Signed on the portfolio justification page (see photo) From the unsigned edition of 200 impressions printe...
Aquatint
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H 5.91 in W 5.91 in
Nude Crouching Woman - Original Etching Signed (Petrides #E3)
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON (1865-1938) Nude Crouching Woman, 1932 Original etching Signed in the plate On BFK Rives vellum 15 x 15 cm (c. 5.9 x 5.9 in) INFORMATION : Printed in 1932, this etc...
Etching
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H 18.51 in W 14.57 in D 0.04 in
Grandmère et Louise Nue Assise à Terre-Etching by Suzanne Valadon-1932
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Roma, IT
Hand Signed and signed on plate. Edition of 95 copies (1/95). Provenance: Galleria Prandi 10/04/1968 Realized in 1910 and Published in 1932. Very good condition.
Etching
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H 18.51 in W 14.57 in
Grandmother and Child - Original handsigned eching - 75 copies
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Grandmother and Child MEDIUM : Original Engraving (Vernis mou and drypoint) SIGNATURE : Signed in the lower right corner LIMITED : 75 copies (unumbered) PAPER : B...
Etching
Two Women in the Bathroom - Original etching
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Two Women in the Bathroom, 1895 Original etching Printed signature in the plate On Arches Vellum 50.5 x 33 c m(c. 20 x 13 in) Limited edition of 75 unnumbered proof...
Etching
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H 18.51 in W 14.57 in
Women and Child on the riverside - Original handsigned etching
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Women and Child on the riverside Original engraving (drypoint) Handsigned in pencil (and also printed signiture in the plate) On BFK Rives vellum 47 x 37 cm (c. 18.5...
Etching
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H 19.69 in W 24.02 in
Children's Bath in the Garden - Original handsigned etching
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Children's Bath in the Garden Original engraving (drypoint) Handsigned in pencil (and also printed signiture in the plate) On BFK Rives vellum at view 14.56 x 18.1 i...
Etching
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H 18.12 in W 14.57 in
Naked Woman Bathing - Original Etching Handsigned - 75 copies
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne Valadon Naked woman bathing Original etching, 1927 Handsigned in pencil Edition of 75 copies (this proof is not numbered) Size 46 x 37 cm, on v...
Etching
Nude boy
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Plano, TX
Pencil on paper. 6-3/4 x 4-1/4 inches (sheet). Attached to mat on top edge. Time and light staining. Mat staining. Spots of surface soiling. A few spots of foxing. Handling creases....
Pencil
Maurice Utrillo nu assis (Maurice Utrillo, nude, sitting).
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Plano, TX
c. 1889. Pencil on paper. 5 x 3 5/8 inches (sheet 12.25 X 10.75). Illustrated: P. Petrides, L'oeuvre complet de Suzanne Valadon, Paris, 1971, p.106, no. D9. Sheet attached to the mou...
Pencil
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H 18.51 in W 14.57 in
Nude Catherine combing her hair - Original handsigned etching - 75 copies
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Nude Catherine combing her hair MEDIUM : Original Engraving (Vernis mou) SIGNATURE : Signed in the lower right corner LIMITED : 75 copies (unumbered) PAPER :...
Etching
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H 18.51 in W 14.57 in
Catherine and a young boy - Original handsigned etching - 75 copies
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Catherine and a young boy MEDIUM : Original Engraving (Drypoint) SIGNATURE : Signed in the lower right corner LIMITED : 75 copies (unumbered) PAPER : BFK Riv...
Etching
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H 18.51 in W 14.57 in
Grandmother and Child - Original handsigned eching - 75 copies
By Suzanne Valadon
Located in Paris, IDF
Suzanne VALADON Grandmother and Child MEDIUM : Original Engraving (Vernis mou and drypoint) SIGNATURE : Signed in the lower right corner LIMITED : 75 copies (unumbered) PAP...
Etching