What Art Deco painter created 'Autoportrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti)'?

Tamara de Lempicka created “Autoportrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti).”

The 1929 painting is a self-portrait of the Polish artist, made in Paris for the German fashion magazine Die Dame. It presents Lempicka behind the wheel of a sleek green Bugatti, wearing a leather helmet, gloves and a gray scarf. The pose projects independence, glamour, wealth and modern mobility—ideas closely associated with the Art Deco era.

The image is especially interesting because Lempicka did not actually own a Bugatti. Her real car was a small yellow Renault, which was stolen while she was out with friends. She substituted the more prestigious automobile in the painting because it better expressed the persona she wanted to create.

Another detail often overlooked is the steering wheel: Lempicka painted it on the left, although Bugatti models of that period generally placed the steering wheel on the right. The work is therefore both a portrait and a carefully staged symbol of the modern woman.