1.28.2010

MADEMOISELLE Chanel on paper



MADEMOISELLE CHANEL
dessins
We all know the work of Gabrielle Chanel; we know her quilted bags, her black tipped shoes, her impeccably constructed suits, her diaphanous dresses and her pearls. We know she revolutionized the way women dressed ridding them of tight undergarments and prissy dresses. She introduced them to relaxed slightly masculine silhouettes all the while keeping in mind their femininity. What is less known is the portraits and caricatures made of her by well known artists during her long career.


A stunning portrait by French artists Marcel Vertes

a whimsical book cover

Coco by Cecil Beaton

Chanel by Peter Blake

Marie Laurencin also painted her

Her friend the caricaturist Sem did several sketches of her

She is even a subject of street art

Karl Lagerfelt drew her likeness quite successfully

Le style Chanel
a stamp project for the French Poste by KL


inspired artists 



A sketch for the New Yorker of Audrey Tautou as Chanel in the film Coco Avant 

...and a contribution from me in her honor

images newyorker, spaweek, myparisforyou, harpersbazaar, aplacetodwell, bridgemanart, alkemie

au revoir.




5 comments:

  1. These are absolutely divine, Jeanne-Aelia. Do you own any original sketches?

    Back in the day when I was covering all the collections I had originals from everyone from Karl to YSL and do you know what I did? I GAVE THEM AWAY!!! I've never forgiven myself. I don't know what I was thinking. I often imagine them hanging on a wall in my bedroom.

    What a fool.

    Thought yesterday's post was excellent. I think you're on to something.

    I know one subject I want to talk to you about (we'll discuss more in private): Coffee. What do you say?

    Letitiax

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hello Tish, No I do not own any of these sketches and paintings... wish I did (except the last one I drew the other day for the post). It is soooo sad you gave originals away; but we move and things get tossed in the shuffle. I'll email you about coffee. - if it's an invitation I regrettably must decline. ahahah.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wonderful collection of portraits of Coco Chanel. Thanks for the post!

    ReplyDelete
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