In a newly unveiled exhibition at the Musée Bourdelle in Paris, the often-overlooked role of artists’ clothing as a form of creative expression is brought into focus. The exhibit, opening on September 23 and running through January 2024, traces over a century of how artists have used attire to convey identity, status, and individuality.

The inspiration for the show, titled *The Fabric of the Artist*, originated from the unexpected discovery of the sculptor Antoine Bourdelle’s personal wardrobe in a cupboard within his daughter Rhodia’s former apartment. The Musée Bourdelle, located near Gare Montparnasse, houses the studio where Bourdelle worked for more than four decades. When curators began clearing the apartment during the COVID-19 lockdown to create a café, Valérie Montalbetti Kervella, curator responsible for the museum’s sculpture and Bourdelle collections, found herself alone confronting the trove of garments. The experience compelled her to involve colleagues to share the moment.

Drawing from Bourdelle’s wardrobe and expanding to include items worn by artists such as Gustav Klimt, Tsuguharu Foujita, Sonia Delaunay, and Camille Bernier, the exhibition explores how artists’ clothing serves as a “seismograph” for their social and professional standing. The curators emphasized presenting garments with documentary evidence—visual or written—confirming their use by the artists themselves. For example, Klimt’s blue linen smock is displayed alongside a portrait by Egon Schiele, while photographs show Delaunay and Sophie Taeuber-Arp in geometric, vibrant prints.

The project required years of research and detective work, often hindered by the scarcity of preserved clothing. Bourdelle’s wardrobe remained intact, but many contemporaries’ garments were discarded after death. Some items survive only by chance, as in the case of painter Émile Bernard’s robe, rediscovered by his family decades later. Notably absent are artifacts from Pablo Picasso, who left no known clothing, including his iconic sailor shirts.

To address gaps, the curators commissioned reproductions, including a Russian constructivist dress by Varvara Stepanova, produced in collaboration with a young designer—a choice complicated by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Chronologically and thematically arranged, the exhibition highlights shifts in artistic identity and sartorial symbolism. It begins with traditional garb associating artists with Renaissance masters, moves through formal academic uniforms signifying rank, and culminates in the casual bohemian image recognized today: smocks, berets, and nonchalant attitudes.

The transformation in artist attire coincided with broader societal trends in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including mass production of clothing and evolving notions of individualism. The smock, for example, was both practical and symbolic—advertising craft while protecting the wearer from workshop dust. Women artists, such as Rosa Bonheur, adopted functional clothing like trouser suits to gain mobility and legitimacy, despite legal restrictions at the time.

By the 1920s, traditional smocks gave way to factory-inspired overalls and jumpsuits, paralleling the rise of artists as mythic self-promoters. Figures like Salvador Dalí embraced performative dress as part of their public persona, while Sonia Delaunay blended fashion design with fine art and commerce.

Bourdelle himself is represented by a distinctive blue corduroy suit, dyed and worn between 1908 and World War I. Its cut references carpenters’ attire, reflecting Bourdelle’s belief in balancing craftsmanship and elevated artistic creation. The suit’s well-worn condition offers a tangible connection to the artist’s life and work.

Curators note a growing public interest in the material culture surrounding artists, including studios and personal effects, suggesting a desire to connect more intimately with creative figures. The exhibition invites visitors to engage with the artist beyond their output, as embodied through clothing that tells stories of labor, identity, and the changing artistic ethos.

*The Fabric of the Artist* underscores how artist attire has both reflected and shaped art history, providing insights into creative identity from the 19th century to the modern era.