Diane 80 Centre Georges Pompidou 1981

This striking 1981 poster was created for Martial Raysse’s exhibition at the Centre Georges Pompidou and features the artist’s sensual and enigmatic painting Diane 80. Raysse, a pivotal figure of the French avant-garde and co-founder of the Nouveaux Réalistes, was known for blending classical subjects with contemporary aesthetics, and this work is a bold reflection of that tension. Diane 80 captures a modern-day reinterpretation of the Roman goddess of the hunt, her gaze turned inward, half-shielded by a luminous white cloth, yet unapologetically bare.

Rendered in warm, expressive brushstrokes against a deep ultramarine background, the figure’s intense physicality is balanced by her introspective stillness. She is both an object of desire and a subject of contemplation. The intimacy of the pose challenges traditional depictions of mythological femininity, positioning Diane not as a distant deity but as a fully present, autonomous woman of the 1980s. The poster’s painterly richness evokes echoes of Titian and Ingres while remaining distinctly modern in tone and execution.

Presented during a key moment in Raysse’s career, the exhibition at the Musée National d’Art Moderne marked his evolution from Pop Art icon to figurative painter. The poster’s minimalist design lets the artwork dominate—only the dates and the name of the venue accompany the image, reinforcing its elegance and confidence. Diane 80 stands as a radiant example of how myth, modernity, and eroticism can intersect in powerful visual language, bridging classical form with contemporary soul.

Exhibition - Woman - Pop Art

Center Georges Pompidou

Printed by J. Vanderperre in Paris

Good condition