Arts & Crafts: Balthus

Golden Days by Balthus

Despite not receiving any art training, Balthasar Klossowski de Rola began painting in 1924 when he was 16. Because his parents and brother were artists, he grew up among some of the finest artists and writers of his time. He and his mother were friends of Rainer Maria Rilke, with Rilke acting as a sort of mentor to Balthus, writing text to accompany his art.

Balthus is best known for his images of sexualized adolescent girls. Golden Days was painted between 1944 and 1946. Balthus often took many years to finish paintings.

More than one of my stories was influenced or inspired by the paintings of Balthus. Here is Posh Spice in a recent interpretation of Golden Days.