Suzanne Malherbe

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Commemorative plaque in Paris

Suzanne Malherbe (born July 19, 1892 in Nantes , † February 19, 1972 in Jersey ), also known under the name Marcel Moore , was a French surrealist artist. She was a painter, collagist, engraver. Her love and work relationship with the more famous Lucy Schwob, also known by the art name Claude Cahun , has helped tear her from oblivion. For example, she illustrated their written works and took part in Cahun's staged photos. So it is not only as a muse that she can be associated with surrealism.

In 2019 the book Never Anyone But You by Rupert Thomson was published, which deals with the history of the couple. The narration is from Malherbe's point of view, which emphasizes the importance of Cahun and allows a personal, intimate view of her art to be obtained. At the same time we learn how closely Cahun's world and work are connected to Moore.

biography

Suzanne's father was a doctor and director of the medical school in Nantes, and deputy mayor of the city. Suzanne and Lucy met early, through the friendship of their two fathers; but only began their love affair after Lucy's stay in England from 1907 to 1908. From 1917 they lived together with Lucy's father, since Suzanne's widowed mother married him.

During this time they reinvented their names: Claude for Lucy to make it sound more masculine, and Marcel for Suzanne. Under these names they published in the magazine Le Phare de la Loire, which Lucy's father owned. They wrote their contributions around 1915, when Suzanne was studying at the Beaux Arts in Nantes. Suzanne wrote in the fashion section.

Later, in 1920, after Lucy began her studies in La Sorbonne, Suzanne also moved to Paris. In 1922 they lived together in Montparnasse. In Paris, Claude's career, which Marcel supported and helped, exploded: she illustrated her works (Vues et visions, 1919), then Aveux non avenus, 1930, for which she made collages based on Cahun's photos. Vues et visions dedicated Cahun Moore so that Claude's “childish prose” and the entire book would be hers. She also hopes that Moore's drawings can warp her text.

In 1924 France's first gay magazine, Inversions, was launched. Moore contributes to its creation.

In 1937 they moved to Jersey, where German soldiers invaded in 1940. They wrote and distributed anti-Nazism propaganda to the German soldiers, mostly during German funerals as their house was next to the cemetery. In 1944 they were arrested for being responsible for the leaflets and sentenced to death. Fortunately, France was liberated in 1945 and the sentence overturned.

Claude, whose incarceration invalidated her, died in 1954. Marcel committed suicide in 1972 after leaving their Jersey home.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Annabel: Can I Borrow Your Fire ?: Paris' Cindy Sherman: Claude Cahun at the Jeu de Paume. In: Can I Borrow Your Fire? June 23, 2011, accessed May 23, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Miranda Seymour: Never Anyone But You by Rupert Thomson review - arrestingly accomplished . In: The Guardian . May 27, 2018, ISSN  0261-3077 ( theguardian.com [accessed July 6, 2020]).
  3. ↑ Inversions - France's first gay magazine. In: 2mecs. January 25, 2018, accessed on July 6, 2020 (German).
  4. ↑ Cahun Readings I: These Tides. In: time core lines. August 7, 2014, accessed on July 10, 2020 (German).
personal data
SURNAME Malherbe, Suzanne
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Moore, Marcel (pseudonym)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION French surrealist artist
DATE OF BIRTH July 19, 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH Nantes
DATE OF DEATH 19th February 1972
Place of death jersey