KIKI de MONTPARNASSE

1901-1953

She was born as Alice Prin in Châtillon-sur-Seine, in France.

Her father never acknowledge her birth and she was abandoned by her mother.

Kiki was raised by her grand mother until she was 12, when her mother sent for her to come to Paris.

Aged 14, she was posing nude for artists (Soutine, Foujita, Cocteau, Kisling among others).

Later she became the favorite of the painter and photographer Man Ray.

And she also became a painter signing her works as Alice Prin.

Kiki  wrote her biography at the age of 28 (!) Ernest Hemmingway wrote the introduction.

In fact, she began in Paris as the muse of the avant-garde painters of the early XX Century, then became the Queen of the Night, a painter, a press cartoonist, a writer and a cabaret singer.

Man Ray Portrait

"in a red jumper and a blue scarf", 1925, by Moise Kisling

by Mikao Cono

Self-portrait, 1929, Alice Prin

"meuble",  Alice Prin painting

with Foujita

at the age of 51, by Moise Kisling

"Violin d'Ingres", Man Ray

 signed  Kees Van Dongen

with Accordion Accompanist

by Foujita