Jules Pascin, born Julius Mordecai Pincas into a wealthy family of merchants and bankers in Bucharest, faced rejection from his family when they learned of his desire to pursue an artistic career and his relationship with a brothel owner, who would significantly influence his work. Consequently, he changed his name to Jules Pascin.

After traveling and studying in Eastern Europe, he settled in Paris, where he quickly became known as the "Prince of Montparnasse." There, he worked as a caricaturist and illustrator, mingling with avant-garde artists from Montparnasse and Montmartre, including Foujita, Van Dongen, Derain, and Matisse.

When France entered World War I in 1914, he was forced to exile in the United States due to his nationality. He traveled extensively across America, from New Orleans to Cuba. After the Armistice and his return to Paris, he continued to travel to Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.

From these journeys, he brought back sketchbooks, many of which were erotic in nature. While these works had caused a scandal in America, they were well-received by French critics. Pascin questioned societal norms regarding the depiction of women, asking why a woman is considered less obscene when seen from behind than from the front and criticizing the hypocrisy surrounding nudity.

Pascin was a frequent participant in Parisian balls, parties, and banquets, and he maintained close ties with the brothels of Montmartre, portraying their "girls" as subjects alongside his wife, Hermine David, and his mistress, Lucy Krogh.

As figuration was increasingly challenged by Cubists, Abstract artists, and Surrealists, Pascin succumbed to alcohol and self-doubt, ultimately taking his own life at the age of 45 in his apartment on Boulevard de Clichy. His funeral marked a day of mourning for the Parisian artistic community.

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