What is it about this extraordinary artist who broke away from the mould, and was so unique in her stylistic output when compared to that of her peers? And what makes her work so popular and desirable for certain art collectors? 

More than any artist of her day, her most striking portraits, especially her depictions of women, have come to personify the age of Art Deco. Lempicka derived a distinct style of painting that was unlike most of her male contemporaries. She infamously stated “I live life in the margins of society and the rules of normal society don’t apply to those who live on the fringe”. Her style of classic portraiture was revamped for a new age. With glamour and feminine allure, her subjects oozed a seductive appeal with influential roots from the cubists, neo-classicists and Tamara’s infatuation with Hollywood and its contemporary cinema. We follow Tamara de Lempicka from her early days in Warsaw, St Petersburg, Paris to eventually New York, Hollywood and finally to Mexico, where she ultimately lived out her days. We comment on her appeal to individuals like the American singer-songwriter, Madonna, who has not only purchased a number of Tamara de Lempicka’s work but also made reference to them in her music videos - notably, Open your Heart, and the chart topping song Vogue.