Tamara de Lempicka
Polish painter known for polished Art Deco portraits.
She is best known for her polished Art Deco portraits of aristocrats and the wealthy, and for her highly stylized paintings of nudes.
- died
- 18 March 1980 in Mexico
- field
- Painting
- nationality
- Polish
- known_for
- Art Deco portraits of aristocrats and nudes
Lore & Background
Born in Warsaw, records have long asserted her birth name was Tamara Rozalia Gurwik-Górska, though documents have uncovered her name as Tamara Rosa Hurwitz. She briefly moved to Saint Petersburg where she married Tadeusz Łempicki, a prominent Polish lawyer, then travelled to Paris. She studied painting with Maurice Denis and André Lhote. Her style was a blend of late, refined cubism and the neoclassical style, particularly inspired by the work of Jean-Dominique Ingres. She was an active participant in the artistic and social life of Paris between the wars. In 1928, she became the mistress of Baron Raoul Kuffner, a wealthy art collector from the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, divorcing Tadeusz Łempicki that same year. After the death of Kuffner's wife in 1933, Łempicka married Kuffner in 1934, and thereafter she became known in the press as 'The Baroness with a Brush'.
Reader's Guide
Following the outbreak of World War II in 1939, she and her husband moved to the United States and she painted celebrity portraits, as well as still lifes and, in the 1960s, some abstract paintings. Her work was out of fashion after World War II, but made a comeback in the late 1960s, with the rediscovery of Art Deco. At her request, her ashes were scattered over the Popocatépetl volcano. Her significance lies in her distinctive blend of cubist and neoclassical elements, which defined the Art Deco portrait style. Her work fell out of favor mid-century but was revived with renewed interest in Art Deco, securing her legacy as a key figure of that movement.
Did You Know?
- Her birth name is disputed: records assert Tamara Rozalia Gurwik-Górska, but documents show Tamara Rosa Hurwitz.
- She secured her husband's release from Cheka prison by offering favors to the Swedish consul.
- Her best-known work, Autoportrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti), was painted for the cover of the German fashion magazine Die Dame, though she actually drove a small yellow Renault.
- At her request, her ashes were scattered over the Popocatépetl volcano.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Tamara de Lempicka's artistic style?
Her canvases are defined by sleek geometry, a lacquered finish, and a bold, graphic sensibility that epitomize Art Deco design. She focused on portraits of aristocrats and the wealthy as well as highly stylized nude figures.
How did Tamara de Lempicka's life end?
She passed away in Mexico at the age of 85. By her final decades, the Art Deco aesthetic she had championed had largely fallen out of favor, and she lived in relative obscurity.
Why is Tamara de Lempicka important in art history?
She translated the geometric, design-driven principles of Art Deco into figurative painting, making her a key reference point for how modernist aesthetics shaped portraiture and the nude in the early-to-mid twentieth century. Her work continues to anchor discussions of the period's visual language.
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