Maurice Utrillo

Maurice Utrillo, born Maurice Valadon in Paris on December 26, 1883, and died in Dax on November 5, 1955, was a renowned French painter specialized in urban landscapes, particularly views of Montmartre. The illegitimate son of painter and model Suzanne Valadon, he grew up in the Montmartre neighborhood without knowing his biological father's identity; in 1891, he was recognized by Catalan painter Miquel Utrillo, who gave him his surname. Suffering from epilepsy since childhood, he was treated with wine by his grandmother, developing an early alcohol dependency that earned him the nickname 'Litrillo'. At twenty-one, in 1904, he showed severe mental disorders, and on doctors' advice, his mother encouraged him to paint, revealing a precocious talent despite no formal training.