Vintage Vivant » paris

Alice Prin – NSFW

Vintage Vivant — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 18:21:39 +0000

Alice Prin. You know her, yes? Ernest Hemingway once described her as “a woman who was never a lady at any time.” Like many of the Parisian belle fleurs of this era, she was born into miserable poverty and was raised in the streets. Alice began posing nude for a sculptor at the age of 14. This didn’t go over too well with her mother, who kicked her out. Homeless, she slept behind Gare Montparnasse, and found meager work in the area cafes. There, she met the artists who would immortalize her in paintings, photos and motion pictures.

Brassaï, Kiki de Montparnasse, Thérèse Treize de Caro et Lily – 1932

Maybe you know her by her other titles: Kiki de Montparnasse, or simply as the Queen of Montparnasse? Fans of Man Ray will recognize her in Violon d’Ingres, but she was so much more than an artist’s model! Born Alice Ernestine Prin (born October 1901), she helped to define early 1920s Parisian culture and was a muse to many Surrealist and Dada artists, and an artist and performer in her own right.

Writing this post was very exciting for me, for, while I have studied the following photographs and paintings for years, I had no knowledge that they were all of the same woman.

Gossip followed Kiki everywhere, including the legend that she had no pubic hair, or that she could only grow it when in love, or that she shaved it off and chalked it on again when posing for artists. - Daniel Stedman on Kiki de Montparnasse

Man Ray and Alice Prin fell in love and were companions for most of the 1920s. Alice appears in many of his most famous photographs. Her beautiful proportions and cupid’s bow lips are featured in the Noire/Blanche series with the African masks. Man Ray was instrumental in “sculpting” her image, and would instruct her to shave off her eyebrows so that he might paint them on.

Despite their intense connection, Kiki ultimately went too far for Man Ray. When a cafe-owner in Nice called her a whore, she got into a fight, and was thrown into jail: Man Ray’s lawyer could only secure her release by producing a doctor’s certificate stating that she had a nervous disorder. Soon afterwards, Man Ray left Kiki for his photographic protege, Lee Miller. He broke the news to Kiki at one of their regular cafe haunts, and was forced to duck under a table while she hurled plates at his head. - Anna Davis, The Guardian.

Kiki in a video by Man Ray:

Kiki also owned her own night club cabaret (Chez Kiki), where she would sing and dance. Rumor has it, often sans culottes!!

Painting by by Gustaw Gwozdecki, c.1920:

by Moise Kisling, 1922:
by Pablo Gargallo, bronze, 1928:
by Maurice Medjinsky, 1921:

Julian Mandel, Girl with vase:

As a lasting legacy of sorts, Kiki De Montparnasse is a luxury lingerie and sex boutique. Specializing in extravagant lace underthings and opulent sexual accoutrements ($2,500 pearl restraints, anyone?), be sure to feast your eyes on an array of tantalizing underthings that our own Alice might have flashed during one of her dancing numbers.

Paris, France

Vintage Vivant — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:31:52 +0000

My time in Paris was magical! It was one of my best weeks on earth, thus far.

Obligatory Tour Eiffel photo. During my trip, it was 18F – 35F so I wore three pairs of socks most days.

Drawing by Francois’s cousin.

Me with Jana Sterbak’s Meat Dress at Centre Pompidou. I also saw works by my heros Annette Messager and Sophie Calle.

Riding the carousel near Notre Dame in my Carousel Dress. Each time I found a carousel in the city, I took a photo of it.

Carousel by Monte Martre, you can bet they were playing the Amelie soundtrack here!

Me and Stella met for tea and vintage shopping – she is such a magical girl!

I went on a picnic and I got tattooed by Sunny Buick – please if you’re ever in Paris, pay her a visit! I got tattooed while reading a book on Tom Waits, listening to rockabilly music, and chatting with the cutest French girl named Charlotte.

This is Adrien. He was my exchange student in High School. He lived with me for four months and we went to school together and even prom together! My mom made him pancakes with Nutella on them every morning and he ate nothing for dinner except steak and lemonade. We met at a vegan restaurant in Paris and all he would have was the chocolate pudding. I have not seen him for ten years and it was good to see the he had not changed much

I met Stella at Balajo to see the most amazing burlesque performance ever! Marie Antoinette stripping to harpsichord music? Check. Charlie Chaplin strip tease? Check. Amazing Paris folk beckoning me to move there? Double check.

I love you Paris, but I’m glad to be back in the land of hot showers and cotton dresses.
If you’d like to see the rest of my Paris trip, please view my flickr set.

Salut Paris!

Vintage Vivant — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 21:26:21 +0000

On March 5th, I will be heading to Paris to visit for one week! I have not been in ten years, and I’m so so so very excited to go back!
Here I am outside of Avignon, age 18, frolicking through a field of lavender.

Thus far: I have a date set up with the lovely Stella Polaris to have tea and go antiquing, and I think I may try and see Sunny Buick for some ink and of course I will be going on lots of picnics and burlesque shows.
I want to badly to go to Ladurée and press my face up against the windows to look at the fancy macaroons.
This will also be my first time to visit Europe as a vegan, which I am nervous about! I am counting on fresh market food, bread, tea and wine to get me through the trip.

I already have a small list of things to do, but I’m certainly open to suggestions if you have them!
Tell me, what should I see in Paris!?