The Artist’s Attire: From Rosa Bonheur to Sonia Delaunay

The Musée Bourdelle presents L’étoffe de l’artiste. De Rosa Bonheur à Sonia Delaunay from September 23, 2026, to January 24, 2027, examining how artists used clothing to construct their public image from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.

The exhibition pairs garments worn by artists including Gustav Klimt, Rosa Bonheur, Foujita, Sonia Delaunay and Camille Bernier with paintings, sculptures, photographs and works on paper. From studio smocks and workwear to carefully styled public appearances, clothing becomes part of the way artists defined their identity, challenged convention and presented themselves to the world.

The show also looks at artists who treated dress as an extension of their creative practice, including Sonia Delaunay, whose use of color and geometric pattern crossed between painting, textiles and fashion.

Presented at the Musée Bourdelle with support from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Musée d’Orsay, the exhibition places fashion inside a broader history of artistic self-presentation rather than treating clothing simply as costume.