Portrait of Pierre MacOrlan

Jules Pascin, a Bulgarian painter who lived and worked in Paris between 1905 and 1914, was beloved for his generous parties and high spirits. These qualities earned him the sobriquet “Prince of Montparnasse.” Here, Pascin depicts the French novelist and songwriter, Pierre MacOrlan, whose musical performances at the bohemian Lapin Agile cabaret were much celebrated. Pascin situates a fiercely stern MacOrlan front and center, facing out from a dark space populated by shadowy figures. Like MacOrlan, who wrote pornographic novels under a pseudonym, Pascin also had a dark side. Contrary to his vibrant public persona, Pascin suffered from self-doubt and depression. In 1930, he took his own life on the eve of an important exhibition of his work in Paris.