A photo of Deborah De Robertis, who was charged for tagging “L’Origine du monde”, is exhibited near Courbet’s work for the exhibition at the Centre Pompidou-Metz. In the photo, De Robertis is seen posing naked under the famous painter’s artwork. The Musée d’Orsay has filed a complaint after “L’Origine du monde”, the famous nude by Gustave Courbet, was tagged on Monday. The painting, currently on display at the Centre Pompidou-Metz, was protected by glass on which two women, who were charged on Tuesday, tagged “MeToo”. The artwork was covered in red paint and had to be examined by a qualified restorer. The museum has initiated legal proceedings.
The Musée d’Orsay stated that the painting’s protective glass will need to be cleaned using solvents which might alter its properties, leading to its replacement. As a result, “L’Origine du monde” will not be rehung at the exhibition “Lacan, quand l’art rencontre la psychanalyse” before its closure on May 27th. The painting, depicting a woman’s genitalia, is one of the most famous paintings from the 19th century. It was acquired by the French state in 1995 after being left by Jacques Lacan’s heirs. The model for the painting was discovered in 2018 to be the dancer Constance Quéniaux.
In addition to “L’Origine du monde”, four other artworks were tagged with “MeToo” and one piece, Annette Messager’s embroidery on fabric called “Je pense donc je suce”, was stolen during the same incident. The action was organized by Deborah De Robertis and was named “On ne sépare pas la femme de l’artiste” (“We do not separate the woman from the artist”). The artist and another woman involved were charged and placed under judicial control. An additional person, potentially responsible for the theft, has not been arrested. De Robertis explained in a video that she conducted the feminist performance as a response to the silence in the contemporary art world and criticized the behavior of certain men in the industry.
Deborah De Robertis had previously been fined for nudity outside the Lourdes grotto in 2018, but was acquitted for similar actions, including exposing herself at the Louvre in front of the Mona Lisa in 2017. A photo of her performance, titled “Miroir de l’Origine du monde”, is also displayed at the Centre Pompidou-Metz exhibition. This performance is a continuation of her illegal act at the Musée d’Orsay in 2014. Overall, her actions aim to challenge societal norms, engage in feminist discourse, and highlight censorship within the art world.
