Antoine Bourdelle’s clothes were among the things discovered during the 2020 renovation of the museum. On the strength of this find, the Bourdelle Museum is presenting a new exhibition that explores the ways in which artists used their clothing to send messages about themselves, from the late 19^th to the mid-20^th century. The exhibition The Stuff of an Artist(L’étoffe de l’artiste) features little-known garments worn by both iconic and lesser-known figures, both men and women – including Gustav Klimt, Rosa Bonheur, Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita, Sonia Delaunay and Camille Bernier; they are presented in dialogue with paintings, sculptures, graphic art and photographs.

At the end of the 19^th century, although most artists posed in black, certain painters and sculptors used their clothing to make a statement about their membership of a group, while others opted for smocks, overalls or boiler-suits, in keeping with a new ideal of the artist at work.

Dress codes soon multiplied, with a trend towards individuality. At the turn of the 20^th century, the wardrobe became, by turn, a revolutionary manifesto, an extension of the creative act, or even an assertion of identity: gender fluidity and cross-dressing, a quest for real or imagined otherworlds, a statement of affiliation or marginality. Artists composed their outfits carefully, creating recognisable silhouettes for posterity. At the intersection of art history, sociology and fashion, this exhibition reveals how clothing and accessories were worn and used by some of the greatest figures in art to underline, not just that they had the stuff of an artist, but also what kind of artist.

This exhibition has been organised with the generous support of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris and the Musée d’Orsay.

Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

We strongly recommend booking a timed ticket, as access to the exhibition is valid for 15 minutes after the start of the time slot.
How to do ? Once your e-ticket in hands, please go on the website  https://www.billetterie-parismusees.paris.fr, then select the exhibition + the date & time + the “Billet non daté” for 0€.
 Please present on the spot the entrance e-ticket open + the time-slot e-ticket booking.