SUZANNE VALODON
(1875- 1938)
She was born in Bessines, France
Growinp up in poverty, and without knowing his father, when she was 5 years old she moved to Paris with her mother.
They lived in Montmartre, a bohemian quartier and, very young, she had to accept small jobs to survive. She had the chance to meet and become friend of some artists who helped her. And soon she was an artist's model of some of the best painters, such as Renoir and Toulouse Lautrec.
A model under the name of Maria with a bohemian life in clubs and cabarets and mother of an illegitimate son (the artist Maurice Utrillo).
Posing for the artists she became lover of some of them, Degas discovered her interest in drawing, encouraged her to continue and became her  mentor.
Soon she was a successful artist and being able to support herself with her artwork.
After two marriages and two divorces she died in 1938 leaving around 300 drawings and 500 oil paintings.

"the bath", 1908

"study for a cat", 1918

"my Utrillo"

"casting of the net"  1914

artist's model