Marie Vassilieff (1884 - 1957)

Marie Vassilieff, born in 1884 in Smolensk, initially pursued medical studies before following her passion for the arts. She joined the Imperial Academy of Fine Arts in Saint Petersburg in 1903, then moved to Paris in 1905, where she studied at the Académie de la Palette with Sonia Delaunay and at the Académie Matisse. She quickly became a central figure in the Montparnasse artistic community, founding the "Académie Vassilieff" in 1912, a meeting place for the avant-garde. Renowned for her sculpted dolls in the 1910s and 1920s, Vassilieff used materials such as wood and fabric to create works imbued with a Cubist aesthetic, foreshadowing Art Deco. Her sculptures, inspired by Russian folklore and Cubism, captivate with their expressiveness and modernity. Simultaneously, she played a crucial role in supporting Parisian artists by opening a popular canteen during the war. Marie Vassilieff passed away in 1957.