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Balthus Biography
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1908 |
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Born February 29 in Paris, France as Balthasar Klossowski
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1922 |
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Executed some maquettes of settings for a Chinese play he proposed to the Staatstheater in Munich
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1930 |
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Spent several weeks with his friends the Wattevilles. He fell in love with Antoinette, and painted her portrait. In October, he was called up to perform his military service in the French army. He was drafted in the 4th régiment de tirailleurs marocains (Moroccan artillery), at Kenitra, on the Atlantic coast of Morocco
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1933 |
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rented the studio of the Swiss architect Jeanneret, Le Corbusier's cousin, at 4, Rue de Furstenberg. He became friends with Pierre-Jean Jouve
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1936 |
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August: Balthus traveled with Pierre Jean Jouve to Soglio, in Engadine
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1937 |
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2 April: married Antoinette de Watteville
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1943 - 1946 |
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Spent time in Switzerland, then returned to Paris
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1946 |
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Balthus separated permanently from Antoinette and moved back to Paris. November-December: exhibition at the gallery Beaux-Arts organized by Henriette Gomès
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1947 |
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Summer: trip with André Masson in the south of France. On the Côte d'Azur met up again with Lacan, Sylvia Bataille, Picasso, Françoise Gillot. On that occasion he met Laurence Bataille of whom he made several portraits. Balthus became friends with Albert Camus and Paul Eluard
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1948 |
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Albert Camus asked him to design the sets and costumes for L'Etat de Siège directed by Jean-Louis Barrault
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1949 |
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Balthus designed the sets and costumes for Boris Kochno's ballet, Le peintre et son modèle. Exhibition at the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York, with a preface by Albert Camus. Death of Erich Klossowski, at Sanary
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1950 |
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Designed the sets and costumes for Mozart's Così fan tutte for the Festival of Aix-en-Provence, commissioned by Cassandre. Painted the first Etude pour le Passage du Commerce-Saint-André
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1954 |
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Moved to the Chateau de Chassy near Autun
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1957 |
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Exhibition at the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York. Painted Golden Afternoon, La Toilette, La Sortie du bain
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1961 |
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André Malraux, Minister of Culture, appointed Balthus director of the Academy of France in Rome, Villa Medici, despite the opposition of the Institut of which Balthus was not a member
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1962 |
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Sent by Malraux on a mission to Japan; there he met Setsuko Ideta. In Rome, became friends with Renato Guttuso, Federico Fellini, Valerio Zurlini, several actors and writers
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1967 |
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Balthus and Setsuko Ideta were married in Japan. La Chambre turque and Les Trois sœurs were shown at the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York. La Chambre turque was purchased by the French state. Balthus began Japonaise au miroir noir and Japonaise à la table rouge
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1968 |
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Birth of Fumio, son of Balthus and Setsuko, who would live but two years
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1973 |
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Birth of his daughter Harumi. Exhibition at the Musée Cantini of Marseilles
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1976 |
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Awarded the Grand Prix National des Arts
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1961 - 1977 |
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Appointed Director of the Academie de France in Rome
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1981 |
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appointed member of the Royal Academy of London. Completed Le Peintre et son modèle that was received in the collection of the Musée national d'art moderne of Paris
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1998 |
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Went to Poland for the first time. He was made doctor honoris causa of the University of Wroclaw
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| Selected Exhibitions |
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1999
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Exhibition at the Musée des Beaux Arts of Dijon
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1996 - 1997
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Exhibition at the Accademia Valentino in Rome
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1996
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Retrospective at the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia in Madrid
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1995
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Traveling exhibition in Hong Kong (Museum of Art), Beijing (Palace of Fine Arts) and Taipei (Fine Art Museum)
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1994
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Retrospective of drawings at the Kunstmuseum of Bern
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1993
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Retrospective at the Musée cantonal des Beaux Arts of Lausanne
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1982
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First retrospective of works on paper at Spoleto, curated by Giovanni Carandente. Publication of Balthus by Jean Leymarie, first exhaustive catalog of the paintings (Skira, Genève). La Montagne was received in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York
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1971
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October - November: major exhibition at the gallery Claude Bernard in Paris of drawings executed in Rome, with a preface by Jean Leymarie
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1968
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October - November: retrospective at the Tate Gallery in London, curated by John Russel. Began Katia lisant
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1958
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First exhibitions in Italy, in Turin and Rome. Le Drap Bleu, several still lifes and landscapes
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1956
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29 February: opening of his exhibition at the gallery Gomès. Exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Painted La Tireuse de cartes, Le Rêve II, Le Fruit d'or
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1938
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March-April - first exhibition at the Pierre Matisse Gallery in New York
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1934
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First one-man exhibition at the Galerie Pierre, Paris
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| Links to further information |
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