Papin Sisters Before, After-Le Surrealisme au Service de la Revolution May 1933A dramatic subversion of a convention even before it had become a commonplace. The Papin sisters were responsible for one of the most sensational murder cases in 1930’s France. After seven years exemplary service as domestics in the Lancelin household they killed and mutilated Madame Lancelin and her daughter when a blown fuse threw the house into darkness. The sisters promptly confessed, however it was revealed during the brief trial that they were locked in an incestous lesbian relationship.
This wasn’t the first time nor would it be the last that the Surrealists venerated criminals. Earlier in the first issue of La Revolution Surrealiste they had placed mugshots of themselves around a photograph of Germaine Berton, an anarchist who had assassinated the leader of a far right party organization. Later they would advocate for Violette Noziere who poisoned both of her parents and whose subsequent spectacularly deranged testimony gripped the nation.
I once saw a movie about the Papin sisters. “Sister, My Sister,” I think it was called. Disturbing — but I think it was a good movie. Too long ago to remember.
Isn’t it? I don’t have the Berton picture, I think you are thinking of What is Hidden which features mug shots of the surrealist with eyes closed around a picture by Magritte of a naked woman. This really is the everything you didn’t need to know about obscure art movements from 1880-1939
Both good ideas. Perhaps alternating them so we don’t all want to jump off a bridge? Or find ourselves so ahem, aroused that we can’t get any work done…
This highly publicized story in France was huge, still is really, a modern folk lore almost. The P sisters were so odd, I mean it was never fully explained by them or anyone else. I love the films The Concrete Garden and Sister My Sister. In the latter that was a rough adaptation of this story but the director decided to make them definitely incestous and that’s all anyone remembers of the film but there is so much more, for example the frustrations of working in those bound positions. I always personally believed they were incestous but maybe that was a sick idea of mine, either way I felt the film really was very passionate (Jodi May I believe) and for the first time I understood the attraction among some siblings (I’m an only child) as with The Concrete Garden (Gainsborough?). In this true story though, it was more the underdog syndrome. I’d have probably done the same minus taking the eyes out, too squeamish. What was most interesting was the idea at the time that women ‘couldn’t possibly’ do this, it really threw everything previously believed under the bus.
Well the Surrealists applauded them, those Surrealists. I was always under the impression that they were incestous, but I have a lurid imagination. Ah us only children and our imaginations.
This was a huge case in France (not surprising concerning the absolute sensational aspects, it would be huge anywhere) and it raised questions concerning class, poverty, servitude and power. Interesting anyway
![detroit_papinsisters[1]](https://cakeordeathsite.files.wordpress.com/2016/02/detroit_papinsisters1.jpg?w=656)
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I once saw a movie about the Papin sisters. “Sister, My Sister,” I think it was called. Disturbing — but I think it was a good movie. Too long ago to remember.
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Hopefully this blog although it has a theme isn’t too predictable…that before and after is wild
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It’s the truth, the before and after is absolutely wild Mr. Cake, but fascinating all the same. ~ Miss Cranes
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It was shown as an example of convulsive beauty…the surrealists and their theories
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What a bizarre story! And do you have the Berton mug shot photo on here? Or am I thinking of something else?
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Isn’t it? I don’t have the Berton picture, I think you are thinking of What is Hidden which features mug shots of the surrealist with eyes closed around a picture by Magritte of a naked woman. This really is the everything you didn’t need to know about obscure art movements from 1880-1939
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That’s it. And you’re right, but think how much fun this will be for me at cocktail parties!
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I think I will done more in this series…I have a couple more ideas in this vein floating in my head, just need to write them, sigh
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Excellent! This stuff is really interesting.
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Thank you. I am also thinking about a surrealist suicide series and or a erotic classic series
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Both good ideas. Perhaps alternating them so we don’t all want to jump off a bridge? Or find ourselves so ahem, aroused that we can’t get any work done…
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I can’t keep on one subject at a time, it would be occasional
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I can’t either. Well, I’ll look forward to it!
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This highly publicized story in France was huge, still is really, a modern folk lore almost. The P sisters were so odd, I mean it was never fully explained by them or anyone else. I love the films The Concrete Garden and Sister My Sister. In the latter that was a rough adaptation of this story but the director decided to make them definitely incestous and that’s all anyone remembers of the film but there is so much more, for example the frustrations of working in those bound positions. I always personally believed they were incestous but maybe that was a sick idea of mine, either way I felt the film really was very passionate (Jodi May I believe) and for the first time I understood the attraction among some siblings (I’m an only child) as with The Concrete Garden (Gainsborough?). In this true story though, it was more the underdog syndrome. I’d have probably done the same minus taking the eyes out, too squeamish. What was most interesting was the idea at the time that women ‘couldn’t possibly’ do this, it really threw everything previously believed under the bus.
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Well the Surrealists applauded them, those Surrealists. I was always under the impression that they were incestous, but I have a lurid imagination. Ah us only children and our imaginations.
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Yikes.
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Don’t you just love the before and after photos.
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Quite terrifying, actually. But yes the change is significant.
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This was a huge case in France (not surprising concerning the absolute sensational aspects, it would be huge anywhere) and it raised questions concerning class, poverty, servitude and power. Interesting anyway
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Very interesting
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Thank you
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How delightfully disturbing. The photographs are fascinating… shivers. Being an only child doesn’t seem so bad.
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The photographs are fascinating as is the case in a very morbid manner. Trust the Surrealists to be attracted in the strangest possible way.
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Attraction to the macabre is inexplicable yet we (humans) seem to be fascinated to the grotesque to some degree.
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We do, I suppose because it exists and we are invariably curious. Though it does always raise unsettling questions.
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It is human nature to be curious about the very bizarre. That will never change 🙂
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Indeed… I wouldn’t have anything to write about either.
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We can’t have that!
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No we cannot!
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I doubt that would happen. We just couldn’t let it.
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Hehe I will try not to.
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Make sure you do. I am being bossy.
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I need that really I have a problem focusing.
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