1. Balthus, Paysage de Monte Calvello, vers 1972, aquarelle et gouache blanche sur papier « peau d’éléphant », 35 × 50 cm. Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne. Dépôt à long terme de Setsuko Klossowska de Rola (Fonds Balthus), 2019, inv. 2019-165, © Balthus / Harumi Klossowska de Rola; Photo : MCBA
Balthasar Kłossowski de
Rola and his drawings
With the Balthus fund, the MCBA in Lausanne have a long history with Balthasar Klossowski de Rola/Balthus. The fund which consist of hundred of drawings and paintings have been deposited by his family. Beside the artworks, it also includes thousands of pieces, books, letters and photographs documenting the creation, daily life and social life of the artist.
2. Vue de l’exposition Balthus dessinateur au Musée cantonal
des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne, 2022 Photo : MCBA, Etienne Malapert
In 2019, the Museum received more then a hundred drawings and paintings of Balthus thanks to a long-term deposit from the Countess Setsuko Klossowska de Rola and her daughter Harumi Klossowska de Rola. This is a few of the highlights.
First, a few drawings of one of his masterpiece, "Passage du commerce Saint-André" (1952-1954). In those drawings the artist showcases the development of his chef d'oeuvre which he finished at the Chateau de Chassy in Burgundy in 1954. In the studies, you can see his detail sketches of the street in Paris that contained the artist's studio and apartment. But also the process of transposing the drawings onto the canvas by using the technique of the "mise aux carreau".
Overall, Balthus takes up a subject he had addressed in "La Rue", transforming an actual street into a mysterious stage on which time seems to stand still while presenting well-know objects and figures.
The second highlight might be his landscape made out of crayon, gouache and watercolours. With its bird eyes view of the landscape, the artist depicted the view of the small Italian village of Monte Calvello probably from the caste of the city which was build during medieval time. This castle, which will be bought by the artist in 1970, will be used as a residence until his death, leaving it inherited by his son.
Although the castle is privately owned, the courtyard and part of the internal buildings, including the church, can be visited freely.
3. (Left) Balthus, Étude pour Passage du Commerce- Saint-André, vers 1951-1953, crayon graphite et crayon de couleur sur papier, 47 × 40 cm. Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne. Dépôt à long terme de Setsuko Klossowska de Rola (Fonds Balthus), 2019, inv. 2019-224 © Balthus / Harumi Klossowska de Rola. Photo : MCBA
4. (Right) Balthus, La Couverture grecque, 1972 ,crayon graphite sur papier, 48 × 36 cm. Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne. Dépôt à long terme de Setsuko Klossowska de Rola (Fonds Balthus), inv. 2019-171 © Balthus / Harumi Klossowska de Rola. Photo : MCBA
Beside presenting this small exhibition of Balthus, the "Espace Focus" is quite a well-thought-out place to present focus exhibition made with the artworks of the collection and/or interact with the activity of the museum, such as promised gift of artwork or gift. In this small two hundred square meter place, the drawings have enough space to shine, the hanging is thematic, easy to comprehend and the text of the exhibition are easy to read, and sometime augmented with photos of the "final" work.
In a sense, it's also a wider homage to Balthus. When the museum was still in construction, Robert Wilson curated a show titled "Balthus Unfinished", showcasing the last works of the master in an immersive scenography. Now, the building is finished, and the Balthus story continues with donations and loans of his artworks by his family and private collectors.
Informations about the exhibitions
Place: MCBA
Date: 3.2.2023 – 23.4.2023
Curators: Camille Lévêque-Claudet
Ticket: Available the front desk of the museum
Informations about the MCBA
MCBA
Place de la Gare 16
1003 Lausanne
Suisse
Phone: + 41 21 31 84 400