Photos of Lempicka paintings exhibited at Polish Institute in Budapest

The Polish Institute is displaying an exhibit of photos of paintings by one of the most famous painters in the history of art – Tamara Lempicka – in the Hungarian capital, Budapest.

The exhibition showcases many photos of the iconic artist’s work, significant milestones from her private life, as well as select reproductions of her paintings.

The Polish painter’s works have captivated viewers for decades, with her pieces often experimenting with vivid colours, bold styles and different fabrics, all of which have given Lempicka her own distinctive artistic signature.

“It’s a bit easy to take her art in, but at the same time it retains avant-garde stylistic features,” says Andrea Bordács, an art critic and aesthete.

Lempicka’s most famous work, which earned her the title of the queen of art deco, was done in the 1920s and ‘30s.

For financial reasons, she often painted portraits of wealthy and influential people, from industrial tycoons and magnates’ wives to actual queens. Her paintings immortalised the rich and famous and her elegant style captured the essence of ‘old-money’ glamour.

“The duality of it is that it’s influenced by cubism, but it’s still quite a decorative art,” notes Bordács.

Her work to this day carries a hefty price tag. Authentic Lempicka paintings can go for around $20 million (€19 million) in auctions. Her paintings continues to grace halls of top tier museums, like the Centre Pompidou in Paris.

Lempicka was born in 1898 in the Polish capital, Warsaw, to an elite family that valued arts and cultural refinement. She fled to Paris after the 1917 Russian Revolution, quickly becoming a key figure within the Parisian elite and the avant-garde art world.

She was not only known as a successful artist, but also a businesswoman. She built her career through meticulous self-drive and professionalism, which have helped her become the first internationally successful female artist.

Her extraordinary business acumen and style have made her work highly demanded, with the rich and famous to this day seeking to secure some of her pieces. Hollywood A-list artist, Madonna, has often expressed that Lempicka was her favourite painter.

Her independent lifestyle and tremendous success have carved a new ideal for womanhood in the 1920s.

Visitors wishing to witness Lempicka’s work, reproductions and derivatives of it can attend the exhibition free of charge until 21 February.