JACQUELINE LAMBA BRETON

Early Life & Loss

French painter and surrealist artist.

Born: November 17, 1910 in Saint-Mandé, Paris

Died: July 20, 1993 in Paris, France

Jacqueline Lamba's early life was marked by profound loss. Her father, José Lamba, died in an automobile accident in 1914 when she was only three years old. Her mother, Jane Pinon, a talented and well-read woman who had once intended to enter medical school, died of tuberculosis in 1927 when Jacqueline was just 17.

Following her mother's death, Lamba moved into a "Home for Young Women" run by nuns on the Rue de l'Abbaye. This early independence would shape her fierce, self-reliant spirit throughout her life.

Artistic Education

Lamba's love for art began as a little girl growing up in Paris, frequently visiting the Louvre with her mother and sister. At the Palais Galliera, she saw exhibitions of decorative arts, printed fabrics, and painted paper.

She studied decorative arts in Paris, entering the École des Arts Décoratifs in 1925 and graduating in 1929. It was here that she met fellow female surrealist Dora Maar, who later stated: "I was closely linked with Jacqueline."

After graduating, she supported herself by creating decorative designs for various department stores, and later worked as a dancer at the Coliseum in Pigalle.

Meeting André Breton

A cousin suggested she read some works by André Breton, the leader of Surrealism. Feeling deeply connected to his writings, she declined an offer of introduction from her friend Dora Maar. Instead, she orchestrated a "chance meeting" at the Café de la Place Blanche on May 29, 1934.

Breton later wrote about their encounter in his book L'Amour Fou (Mad Love), describing Lamba as a "scandalously beautiful" woman. They married just three months after that night at the café, in a joint ceremony with Paul Éluard and Nusch Éluard. The sculptor Alberto Giacometti served as their best man.

Their daughter, Aube Solange, was born on December 20, 1935, named after the dawn.

Surrealist Years (1934-1943)

Jacqueline began exhibiting objects and drawings with the Surrealists. She actively participated in Surrealist exhibitions throughout the 1930s, showcasing her paintings, drawings, and surrealist objects.

Notable Exhibitions:

• Exposition Surréaliste d'Objets, Charles Ratton Gallery (1936)
• International Exhibition of Surrealism, London (1936)
• International Surrealist Exhibition, Tokyo (1937)
• Exhibition by 31 Women, Art of This Century Gallery, New York (1943)

Her work during this period was deeply influenced by automatism, close in spirit to the abstract work of Matta and Masson. She developed automatism into a series of intense prismatic paintings that explored themes of light, nature, and the subconscious.

Escape from Nazi-Occupied France

During World War II, with the help of Varian Fry's Emergency Rescue Committee in Marseille, Lamba escaped Nazi-occupied France and arrived in New York. Fry's network provided vital assistance with forged documents and escape routes for artists, intellectuals, and political refugees.

Time in Mexico & Friendship with Frida Kahlo

After seven months in Mexico spent with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, Lamba and Kahlo became close friends. Both women struggled for their own artistic identities amidst turbulent marriages to famous men.

Kahlo captured her friend's trepidation in the 1943 painting The Bride Frightened at Seeing Life Opened—depicting Lamba as a tiny doll among larger, flayed-open fruit echoing the shapes of male and female genitalia.

First Solo Exhibition & Independence

Lamba's first one-woman exhibition was held at the Norlyst Gallery in New York in April 1944, featuring eleven oil paintings, six works on paper, and her surrealist short "ars poetica."

Unlike André Breton, who was considered tone deaf, Jacqueline was able to speak fluent English. She became the main translator for VVV, the magazine that Breton founded. It was during her work at VVV that she met David Hare, an American sculptor and photographer who would become her second husband.

Second Marriage & Return to France

Separated from Breton in 1943, she married David Hare in 1946. Because of an inheritance, they both could live comfortably and exhibited art together at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in August and September 1946. She also exhibited at Galerie Pierre, Paris in 1947.

Due to Hare's use of drugs and many infidelities, the marriage ended in 1954. Jacqueline moved back to France. Hare continued to send her money every month for the next 42 years.

Later Life & Mature Work

In her later years, Lamba lived as a recluse in her Paris studio. Living alone by choice, her paintings became complex cityscapes and detailed, momentous landscapes that would take months to complete. Her friends noticed her painting strokes were very gentle, not harsh at all.

She was a driven and ambitious artist who continued to produce works in increasing isolation through until her death. Her mature work explored light with detailed compositions of Paris and airy exaltations of landscape, sky, and water.

Final Years

Jacqueline Lamba developed Alzheimer's Disease in the last five years of her life. Toward the end, she suffered a stroke and eventually asked her daughter and son to relocate her to the countryside in Rochecorbon, where she spent her final years.

She died on July 20, 1993, in Paris, at the age of 82.

Legacy

Jacqueline Lamba's legacy is one of resilience and artistic integrity. She navigated the often male-dominated world of Surrealism while staying true to her vision. Though her association with Breton brought her initial recognition, Lamba's artistic merit deserves to be appreciated on its own terms.

Her work offers a unique perspective within Surrealism—one that is both grounded in the real world and infused with an unsettling magic. Her dynamic practice was significant in both the development of Surrealism and 20th century expressionism.

Further Reading: Women Artists and the Surrealist Movement