L’étoffe de l’artiste. De Rosa Bonheur à Sonia Delaunay

Following the rediscovery of Antoine Bourdelle’s clothing in 2020, the Musée Bourdelle explores, in a new exhibition, how artists have used clothing to shape their representations and public image from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth century. "L’étoffe de l’artiste" brings together little-known garments worn by both prominent and lesser-known figures, including Gustav Klimt, Rosa Bonheur, Foujita, Sonia Delaunay and Camille Bernier, presented alongside paintings, sculptures, works on paper and photographs.

While artists’ relationships with clothing have been explored previously, L’étoffe de l’artiste approaches the subject through art history, sociology and fashion history. For the first time, more than 50 garments, accessories and personal objects worn by artists have been brought together through extensive research conducted by the curators across institutional and private collections and archives. These unique pieces are presented alongside 50 photographs, 33 paintings, 12 drawings and nine sculptures in a chronological and thematic display, examining the styles, appearances and forms of self-presentation associated with the figure of the artist. Particular attention is given to the diversity of the artists represented, with women artists accounting for almost a quarter of those included.