Balthasar Klossowski de Rola (1908–2001), also know as Balthus was a Polish-French modern artist. Balthus rejected the conventions of the art world, insisting that his paintings should be seen and not read about. He resisted any attempts made to create biographies. His work is known for the theme of displaying prepubescent girls in erotic poses. Although not intentionally erotic his work points out the discomforting facts of child sexuality. One of the most notorious from his first exhibition is The Guitar Lesson, which depicts a young girl errotically draped over her teachers who holds her as if she a guitar to be played. His style is primarily classical with influences from writing and earlier artists. His work melded the influence of pre-renaissance painters with a surrealist style. He is considered important for being a figure painter during a period of time when that genre of work was widely disregarded.
Images from top to bottom
The Guitar Lesson, 1934 / Patience, 1943 / The Cat in the Mirror, 1990
