The images of Pablo Picasso in his striped sailor shirt, whether in his studio, hands pressed against the window or sitting in front of his plate, captured by photographer Robert Doisneau, are often the first that come to mind when one thinks of iconic outfits worn by artists. Yet, both an exhibition and a book focusing on what painters and visual artists wear are quick to sideline the Spaniard as the main example.

The Louvre-Lens Museum, in northern France, is hosting "The Art of dressing. Dressing like an artist" through July 21. In this exhibition, the photo of Picasso in his white, navy-striped t-shirt is present, but it has been tucked away in a narrow antechamber, where the curators have gathered "the expected clichés" related to their subject: the sailor shirt, but also bohemian rags. The book What Artists Wear (2021), a freewheeling survey of artists' sartorial choices by British journalist Charlie Porter, a longtime critic for the Financial Times, pays little attention to Picasso. Among its nearly 400 pages, he is mentioned in just one sentence.

Both the exhibition and the book, marked by the same strengths (originality and pioneering spirit) and weaknesses (a somewhat catalog-like feel), fill a gap in the field. "There is a paradox: No study has been carried out on how artists choose and wear their clothes, yet their appearance exerts a real fascination," explained Annabelle Ténèze, director of the Louvre-Lens Museum and curator of the exhibition.

Mythologized figures

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