A Life Between Borders

Marthe Rakine was born in Moscow to a Swiss father and a French mother, a heritage that perhaps prepared her for a life of movement. Her early years were shaped by the streets of Paris, where she began her formal training at the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in 1926. This period of study was not limited to a single institution; she sought knowledge at the Sorbonne and later refined her technique at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière, studying under Othon Friesz during the mid-1930s. Her life was deeply intertwined with that of her husband, the painter Boris Rakine, and together they navigated the shifting landscapes of mid-century Europe and North America.

In 1948, the couple emigrated to Canada, seeking new beginnings. This move brought her to the Ontario College of Art, where she expanded her creative language by studying ceramics from 1949 to 1950. While her roots were in the European tradition, her time in Canada allowed her to settle into a new environment that would influence her perspective for years to come. By 1958, she and her husband left Canada to reside in Lausanne, Switzerland, marking the final chapter of her long life.

The Language of Color

Rakine’s approach to painting was rooted in a specific philosophy regarding the intent behind the brush. She believed that it was essential for a painter to work with love, a sentiment that reflected in her careful handling of light and pigment. Her work often focused on the natural world, capturing the quiet details of life through a lens of careful observation. Her technical skill was recognized through several significant milestones:

• Her invitation to participate in the Canadian section of the Pittsburgh International Exhibition in 1952.
• A solo exhibition held at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in 1954.
• The inclusion of her works in major institutions such as the National Gallery of Canada and the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Her ability to use color was a defining feature of her practice. Whether she was painting a still-life or a landscape, there was a deliberate quality to how she organized her palette. Her canvases, such as On the Porch and Still-life under the Tree, demonstrate a focus on the way light interacts with physical objects and surroundings.

A Lasting Presence

Though she spent only a decade in Canada, her presence in the country's art history remains significant. Her paintings have found permanent homes in various collections, ensuring her vision persists long after her departure. Her legacy is held in the National Gallery of Canada, the Art Gallery of Hamilton, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Agnes Etherington Art Centre, and the Art Gallery of Northumberland. These works serve as a record of a woman who moved through many cultures, carrying the lessons of Paris and the textures of Canada into her later years in Switzerland.