Balthus

Balthazar Klossowski de Rola (February 29, 1908 in Paris – February 18, 2001) was an esteemed Polish/French modern artist whose work was ultimately anti-modern.

Influence and legacy

The work of Balthus shows numerous influences, including Masaccio, Piero della Francesca, Poussin, Jean-Étienne Liotard, Joseph Reinhardt, Géricault, Ingres, Goya, Courbet, Felix Vallotton and Paul Cezanne. His favourite composer was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (he designed the stage for one of the composer's operas, Così fan tutte, in Aix-en-Provence, together with Adolphe Mouron Cassandre).

Related Topics:
Masaccio - Piero della Francesca - Poussin - Jean-Étienne Liotard - Joseph Reinhardt - Géricault - Ingres - Goya - Courbet - Felix Vallotton - Paul Cezanne - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Così fan tutte - Aix-en-Provence - Adolphe Mouron Cassandre

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His work influenced several artists, among them the filmmaker Jacques Rivette of the French New Wave. His film Hurlevent (1985) was inspired by Balthus' drawings made at the beginning of the 1930s. As his says in an interview with Valerie Hazette: "Seeing as he's a bit of an eccentric and all that, I am very fond of Balthus (...) I was struck by the fact that Balthus enormously simplified the costumes and stripped away the imagery trappings (...)".

Related Topics:
Jacques Rivette - French New Wave - Hurlevent

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Another artist influenced by Balthus is the photographer Duane Michals.

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The novel Hannibal by Thomas Harris refers to the fictional Hannibal Lecter as a cousin of Balthus.

Related Topics:
Hannibal - Thomas Harris - Hannibal Lecter

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