Portrait of Lily Walton, 1923
Suzanne Valadon
French, 1867-1938
Oil on canvas, 24 x 18 in. (61 x 45.7 cm.)
Collection of the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art
University of Chicago
Bequest of Joseph Halle Schaffner in memory of his
beloved mother, Sara H. Schaffner
Suzanne Valadon was involved in the social and artistic
scene of Paris as an artist and artist's model. She usually painted
those close to her, especially ordinary women like Lily Walton, the housekeeper
at the studio where Valadon worked. She was mainly a self-taught
artist, meaning she did not receive any formal training in art. In
this painting, Valadon contrasts the decorative design of the tablecloth
with the serious face of the sitter. However, Lily Walton's hair
is painted in the same manner as the wall behind her, making her a part
of the setting as well. This is an example of using the setting to
convey something about the sitter, and vice versa.
