June 01, 2011

Suzanne Roger : a neglected figure of contemporary art

Married to André Beaudin, Suzanne Roger (1896-1986) remains still today in the shadow of her contemporaries.Yet, her career deserves that one stops on her work. Trained at the Academie Ranson, by Maurice Denis and Paul Serusier, she made her first exhibition at the Kahnweiler gallery. She met the German collector and dealer via Juan Gris and Max Jacob and became, with her husband, a regular member of les Dimanches de Boulogne, where she met painters and poets Henry Kahnweiler supported. The brotherhood and literary  atmosphere of those meetings reflects in the painter's work whose pictorial quest is linked to the literary movement of the time. Her style is based on clean lines that are filled and deconstructed by flat areas of color. In 1961, is published byt the Galerie Louise Leiris (formerly, the one  of her stepfather Kahnweiler), the poems collection S.O.S. of the Haitian painter Roland Dorcely. The 5 engravings on copper by Suzanne Roger that illustrate the book provide a glimpse of her talent.

Currently, the librairie Loliée offers :
  • [Roger (Suzanne)] - Dorcely (Roland). S.O.S. Paris, Galerie Louise Leiris, 1961, in-4, in leaves, illustrated cover, publisher's case. First edition with 5 original engravings, 2 in colors, by Suzanne Roger. Limited to 112 coppies. One of the 90 copies on Rives paper signed by the author and the artist.