Seraphine

Last night I went with a close friend to see a film called 'Seraphine', it is a French film with subtitles, it is based on a true story about a simple cleaning woman in Northern France who has a rare artistic talent (played brilliantly by actress Yolande Moreau). Her canvases are discovered by chance by a famous German art critic, Wilhelm Uhde (Ulrich Tukur), when he happens to move to the area. He is already a champion for artists such as Picasso and Rousseau.

He begins purchasing and championing her work, though sadly his efforts on her behalf are interrupted by World War I.

After the war, the artist and her patron are reunited, with Seraphine finally achieving the fame and riches commensurate with her talents. Unfortunately, she's unable to handle her new found success and begins to suffer a devastating emotional unraveling which results in her admittance to a psychiatric hospital where she remains for the rest of her life.

Her name was Seraphine de Senlis and this is an example of her work, she made her own paints out of animal blood, flowers and candlewax and had no training at all - I think they are amazing.