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Writer's pictureKate Lacivita

Book Review- Esther Pressoir: A Modern Woman’s Painter by Suzanne M. Scanlan

Updated: Dec 5, 2023


Portrait of shirtless woman, sitting and holding a cigarette
Pressoir, Self Portrait (Smoking), 1930, oil on canvas, 71.1 x 55.9cm (28x22in), RISD Museum, Providence, RI, 2020.10.

Suzanne M. Scanlan, in her recent book titled Esther Pressoir: A Modern Woman’s Painter, takes us on a journey into the life of the artist Esther Estelle Pressoir. But please, call her Stella. This book is a fresh and intimate account of an under-spoken American artist of the early 20th century. Within the preface alone one gets the sense that Dr. Scanlan shows a personal care in representing Pressoir, jumping straight into visual analysis of the piece Self Portrait, Smoking from 1935. The Smokey, fun natured descriptions match Pressoir’s equally rich and dreamy art within the book.

In this easy to navigate text are wonderful color plate images spanning the life of Esther Pressoir, and it is sectioned off into 5 chapters with an added conclusion. As Dr. Scanlan explains right at the beginning, the oeuvre is large, and one book alone is not enough to cover the titan that is Estelle Pressoir. Resources provided at the end of the book for further research helps with future studies and with these new stories that, “are only waiting to be told.” (10) Letters, personal notes and sketches are latent throughout, bringing a personal touch from the artist and making it as if she was writing her own biography.

One of the most genius comparisons created in Chapter 1 is that of Pressoir to Michelangelo, as both artists were concisions of the importance of saving their ideas, and even recommended to other fellow artists to always, “keep ALL your drawings!” (15) Not only is Pressoir described on par with Michelangelo, but that of Anguissola and Le Brun. This was an excellent way of bringing Pressoir herself into the canon of great masters such as these. Pressoir by comparison is now elevated as a competent, well sought-after modern artist in her craft. (29)

Chapter 2 describes the European tour of Pressoir as she traveled with fellow artists Helen McAuslan and “B”, artists whom she made friends with along her journey. The chapter is split into various subsections depending on the location she traveled, making for an easier time to research a particular point in her life if one needed. This section seemed very biographical, like a story of an adventure. Pressoir visited France, Italy, Germany, and many places in between. A daunting task to take head on if one were to only talk about the plethora of works created by her during these travels. It was worth reading the journey as it unfolds her artistic process rather than talking about each piece of art itself. This omission of visual analysis is sensibly done, as it is due to the vast amount of art she produced on this journey. Surely one chapter could not incorporate an agreeable analysis of it all. Again, something that is stated at the beginning preface by Dr. Scanlan on this issue, and this is where the conversation could be for another whole book to focus on.

Pressoir was involved in a number of impressive American exhibitions, and Chapter 3 describes her time in New York through these shows. What was most enjoyable to read within this chapter is Dr. Scanlan’s descriptions about the various paintings during Pressoir's time in New York. Wonderful descriptions on The Belgian (1930-35) shown with oversized hands and building blue veins, to Still Life (Orange Stool with Fruit Bowl) (1930-35) complete with cabbages, carrots and quahogs rendered in diagonal blue slashes and alternating white blocks brought the images to life. The real magic comes in Chapter 4 which focuses on “Pressoir and the Nude.” (95) Here we see the emphasis on the relationships between Pressoir and women heavily referenced through the beautiful nudes she produced. It is here that the reader can get a true sense of how these relationships influenced and inspired the artist. Including the most important relationship of all; the one with herself. Chapter 4 is perhaps the most impactful chapter in its own right, as these nude studies deeply humanize this modern woman artist, putting her on par with contemporary male artists who were prolific in the same subject. Aptly is mentioned the “snapshot,” or deliberate cropping of the picture plane, done by Pressoir. She brings in an art historical perspective, where the idea of temporary brief moment is presented in these works, rather than a timeless piece, similar to photography. Dr. Scanlan emphasizes this comparison of the modern woman in the metropolis with help from familiar scholarly attributions.

We end the book with a simple question. Who is Florita and why did Pressoir paint so many pictures of this woman? Chapter 5 titled, “Call Her ‘Florita,’” a mere 4 pages, does try to answer this question. Ultimately, these answers remain elusive (115). This chapter goes into great detail analyzing the artwork, but never gets to answering the question at hand. What we get from all this is not the answer to who Florita actually was, but what she meant to Pressoir. As Dr. Scanlan beautifully states at the ending passage, “The pictures bind Esther and Florita in space and in time, leaving us with a legacy and lineage that otherwise could have been forgotten.” (121) Indeed, it does not matter so much the background of the figure Florita, but the relationship her and Pressoir shared that was the most important element to all of this.

The first book of its kind, Esther Pressoir: A Modern Woman’s Painter will set the tone for future publications about this talented artist. Certainly, it has set the appropriate tone for future study moving forward. It is a breath of fresh air to read about a woman artist as a singular unit in her own right; with no connections to the men in her life and how they might have been the ones to help her career. Suzanne M. Scanlan masterfully writes an easily accessible narrative for anyone who wants to learn more about Esther Pressoir, as it will be referenced and remembered by future scholars alike.


This book was written by Suzanne Scanlan and published by Lund Humphries.


Further readings:

Buy the book HERE—Lund Humphries

ArtHerstory blog post Esther Pressoir at RISD Museum

Other books by Suzanne M. Scanlan HERE






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