Renoir's Dancer

In the 1880s, Suzanne Valadon was considered the Impressionists’ most beautiful model. But behind her captivating facade lay a closely-guarded secret. Born in poverty in rural France, as a teenager in Montmartre, Suzanne began posing for – and having affairs with – some of the age’s most renowned painters. Then Renoir caught her indulging in a passion she had been trying to conceal: the model was herself a talented artist. Some found her vibrant still lifes and frank portraits as shocking as h