October Birthday Artist Marie Laurencin

October 25th marks the birthday of the famed Pablo Picasso, well-known for his intensity and his Cubist and otherwise visions. October is also the birthday month of Marie Laurencin, one of Picasso's friends from the exciting and avant garde days of early 20th century Paris. Born on Halloween of 1883, Laurencin is often regarded as a Cubist and abstract artist herself, and her work has a uniquely deceptive lightness and sense of quiet tension. She was romantically involved with the poet and writer Guillaume Apollinaire, and with his encouragement published some poetry of her own; she painted Group of Artists in 1908, depicting herself with Apollinaire, Picasso and Picasso's then-lover, Fernande Olivier.

Marie Laurencin was complex and multi-faceted, and throughout her career she produced paintings, notable literary illustrations, set designs, and a portrait of iconic French designer Coco Chanel. Laurencin died in 1956, and in 1983 a museum commemorating what would have been her 100th birthday opened in Tokyo. The Museum Marie Laurencin houses a fascinating collection of the artist's work, and Marie would probably be happy to learn as well that a certain type of richly pink peony has been named in her honor.