: Tamara de Lempicka (1898-1980) is hardly a household name, but
she surely merits greater recognition for her contributions to
the modernist movement. Her striking paintings captured the
essence of modernism and the Art Deco spirit in the interwar
years when Paris was the art capital of the world. In addition to
instantly recognizable canvases that capture the combination of
wealth and decadence that characterized the French capital in the
1920s and 1930s, de Lempicka led an independent, colorful life
that continues to intrigue.
As its title suggests, the exhibition "Tamara de Lempicka: Art
Deco Icon," on view at the Royal Academy of Arts (May 15-August
30) and Kunstforum in Vienna (September 16-January 2) shows how
this artist came to symbolize the chic designs and freewheeling
lifestyles associated with the Art Deco movement. The show,
which, alas, will not travel to the United States, comprises 55
paintings. They confirm the striking originality and enduringly
sensuous appeal of de Lempicka's art. There is a useful
exhibition catalog.
Born Tamara Gurwick-Gorska in either Moscow or Warsaw
(authorities are divided on the site), de Lempicka was the
daughter of Boris Gorski, attorney for a French trading company,
and Malvina Decler Gorska, who came from a prominent family and
had studied abroad. Her wealthy Polish mother and Russian father
gave the strong-willed child a privileged, cultured upbringing.
