Marie Laurencin: Une Femme Inadaptee in Feminist Histories of Art

Marie Laurencin, in spite of the noticeable reputation she made in Paris in the first half of the 20th century, attracted only sporadic attention by late-20th century art historians. The substance of her art and the feminist issues that were entangled in her life have been narrowly examined or reduced by an author's chosen theoretical format; and the terms of her lesbian identity have been overlooked. In this case study of "une femme inadaptee" and "an unfit feminist", Elizabeth Kahn re-situates Laurencin in the ongoing feminist debates that enrich the disciplines of art history, women's studies and literary criticism. Kahn's thorough reading of the artist's visual and literary production ensures a comprehensive overview which addresses notable works and passages but also integrates those that are less well known. Incorporating feminist theory and building on the work of contemporary feminist art historians, she avoids the heroics of conventional biography, instead allowing her subject to participate in the historical collective of women's work. The study of Marie Laurencin's life and works also explores the multiple valences by which to connect the histories of, and find new connections between, women artists across the 20th century.