Collection: Balthasar Balthus

(1908-2001) French

Balthus was a Polish-French modern artist known for both his erotically charged images of pubescent girls as well as the refined, dreamlike quality of his imagery. His father was an art historian and he grew up in the town of Ragnit in an art-world environment, with frequent visits to the household by famous artists and writers. While his early study consisted of copying Renaissance frescos and tempera wall paintings, Balthus later rejected the usual conventions of the art world and instead promoted his paintings be seen and not read about, resisting any attempts made to build a biographical profile. His paintings were realistic but introverted, constantly causing controversy due to their sadistic and sexually explicit imagery, and went on to influence several contemporary artists and filmmakers.