Claude Cahun (Lucy Schwob) 1894–1954
nantes, france
C
ahun was a versatile artist, poet, essayist, literary critic, political activ-
ist, and photographer. Subversive, provocative, and in many ways
ahead of its time, her work was exhibited with that of the Surrealistsin Paris. Her self-portraits depict a fluid cast of characters and identities; she
flaunted, for example, the crossover between genders, appearing in suit and
monocle as well as in an elegant evening gown. Born in Nantes, she moved to
Paris in 1922 and remained there until 1938. During the Paris years, she and her
lover, Suzanne Malherbe (known as Moore), participated in all the literary gath-
erings of the time. Later, they moved to the island of Jersey, where they tried to
inspire German troops to mutiny by pinning butterflies on their tanks. Cahun
and Malherbe were arrested by the Gestapo in 1944 and sentenced to death.
Eventually released, Cahun was unable to rejoin the Surrealists in Paris because
of illness and instead returned to Jersey, where many of her photographs and
archives had been destroyed by the Nazis. Principal works: Héroïnes, 1925; Aveux
non avenus, 1930; Les Paris sont ouverts, 1934.
Sadistic Judith
Who Was Judith She had made atop her house a se-
cret room where she remained closed
in...
And with a hair shirt over her body,
she fasted every day of her life, except
for the Sabbath...
Judith’s Speech to the People I don’t want you to try to know
what I mean to do...
But those... who showed their
impatience... were exterminated by
the exterminating angel, and perished
from the bites of serpents.