Marthe Lalire-Levesques (1865 – 1952)

Little is known about Paris-born portraitist Marthe Lalire-Levesques beyond her marriage to the prominent Art Nouveau and Symbolist painter Adolphe Lalire (also known as La Lyre). Before their marriage in 1886, Marthe was a student in an art class taught by Adolphe and had also studied under Léon Bonnat.

While Adolphe, who trained at the École des Beaux-Arts, enjoyed a successful career, Marthe’s work was less widely exhibited despite her evident talent. Although she did become a member of the Société des Artistes Français in 1901 and participated in their Salons.

Both husband and wife supported each other’s artistic pursuits, frequently sitting for one another. This beautifully rendered pastel portrait (part of EKCART Asia’s collection) depicts Adolphe seated, seemingly absorbed in thought, with his hands resting on his crossed legs. Marthe’s technical skill is evident, capturing the depth of Adolphe’s expression, the crisp whiteness of his collar and cuffs against his darker suit, and the light reflected on his monocle.

Marthe often modelled for Adolphe’s paintings and he created numerous portraits of her during their marriage. Her features also appeared in many of his depictions of femme fatales, which populated his compositions.