The years 1870–1960 were a period of vibrant innovation in France when traditional ideas about art and living were challenged. At the turn of the twentieth century, Paris became the epicentre for creative risk, innovation and originality. The city both represented and became a ‘laboratory of culture’ that attracted individuals eager to ride the waves of modernism. What forces enabled Paris to become a site of such artistic vibrancy? What cultural labour was involved in propelling avant-gardism forwards? In this article, I introduce a few examples of women who played a vital role in the modernisation of the arts in Paris, the internationalisation of French artistic tastes, and the cultivation of Paris’s reputation as the centre of avant-gardism and artistic development. In doing so, I offer a new paradigm for understanding the art worlds of Paris in this period by revealing women as important and effective arbiters of taste.

1870年至1960年是法国充满活力的创新时期，传统艺术和生活观念受到挑战。二十世纪初，巴黎成为创造风险，创新和独创性的中心。这座城市既代表又成为“文化实验室”，吸引了渴望驾驭现代主义浪潮的个人。是什么力量使巴黎成为具有如此艺术活力的场所？推动前卫主义前进涉及哪些文化工作？在本文中，我将介绍一些妇女的例子，这些妇女在巴黎艺术的现代化，法国艺术品味的国际化以及巴黎作为前卫主义和艺术发展中心的声誉的培养中发挥着至关重要的作用。在这样做，