The Georgia Museum of Art has opened a new exhibition that sheds light on the life and work of two married artists whose time spent in Paris yielded a rich collection of art.
Pierre Daura (Catalan-American 1896-1976), “Olimpia Torres (Half-length),” 1929. Drypoint, 12 5/8 × 9 3/4 inches. Georgia Museum of Art, University of Georgia; Gift of Martha Randolph Daura. GMOA 2003.770. (Submitted photo)
Organized by Pierre Daura Curator of European Art Nelda Damiano, “Power Couple: Pierre and Louise Daura in Paris” features paintings by Louise Blair Daura, engravings by Pierre Daura and several objects that appear in their images. The exhibition is part of the museum’s “In Dialogue” series, which places works from the permanent collection in conversation with art from influential peers, related sketches and studies or even objects.
To further his artistic training, Pierre Daura moved from his native Barcelona to Paris. There, in 1927, he met his future wife, Louise Heron Blair, an American also studying art. Their social sphere included artists, writers, musicians, gallery owners and critics in the Parisian cultural scene. Among their entourage was artist Joaquín Torres-García (1874-1949), whom Pierre befriended and helped settle in Paris in 1926.
The Torres and Daura families lived in the same apartment complex in the famed Montmartre district known for its vibrant artistic life full of studios, salons and cafés. During this period, Louise painted several portraits of Torres-García’s daughters, Olimpia and Ifigenia, while Pierre produced several engravings of the young girls, a testament to the families’ friendship and affection. A beautiful lace mantilla (a traditional Spanish veil), that Louise once owned and that Olimpia wears in one of the paintings, is also on display.
“Our ‘In Dialogue’ series offers us the chance to highlight our permanent collection and, in this case, I wanted to reunite two important figures of the 20th century: Louise and Pierre Daura. They met and married in Paris, and their years in that French city were pivotal for their artistic training and for forging friendships with painters, writers and critics,” Damiano said.
Related events include:
- A Family Day on Aug. 19 from 10 a.m. to noon.
- 90 Carlton: Autumn, a quarterly reception celebrating exhibitions at the museum hosted by the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art, on Sept. 15 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. with light refreshments, door prizes and more; $15 Not Yet Friends; $10 Friends of the Museum and Friend + Annual Fund Members; free for Friend + Annual Fund Members (Reciprocal level and above); register at https://bit.ly/90c-sep-23.
Family Day is sponsored by Lucy and Buddy Allen and the Friends of the Georgia Museum of Art. “Power Couple” is on view through Feb. 11, 2024, and features a brochure in English and Spanish.
