Gertrude Stein

Gertrude Stein , born the February 3rd 1874, with Pittsburgh (the United States) and deceased the July 27th 1946 with Neuilly-sur-Seine (France), was a poetess, writer E, feminist Dramaturge and American which passed the major part of its life in France. It was a catalyst in the development of the modern Littérature and the Modern art. By its personal collection and its conferences, it contributed to the diffusion of the Cubisme and more particularly of the work of Picasso.

Its most famous work is the Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas .

Biography

Years of training

It is born in Pennsylvania, girl of an industrial rich person of Jewish origin, and passes its early childhood to Europe (Vienna and Paris). To four years it goes back with her parents to the United States and grows in California. It will make then its studies in prestigious establishments of the east coast in the Massachusetts. It began studies of medicine to the Université Johns Hopkins which will remain unfinished.

Parisian life

Gertrude Stein arrives at Paris in 1902, in company of his/her brother Leo Stein, attracted by the artistic effervescence of the Quartier of Montparnasse of the beginning of the 20th century. All the two collectors, Gertrude defends the Modern art in particular Picasso (which will make a famous portrait of it in 1906) and the cubists, whereas his/her brother remains more traditionalist. It will be for this reason one of the large patrons of the young generation of the École of Paris. It côtoie the collector Henri-Pierre Rock. In 1907, it meets Alice B. Toklas, with which it will share its life as from 1909 and until its death. Its apartment of the Rue of Fleurus becomes a meeting place for the Parisian avant-garde, in the tradition of the living rooms of the 18th century, where Gertrude Stein while being politically rather preserving will like to create polemics.

Difficult years

Between 1906 and 1908, she writes The making off the Americans , which she regards as her philosopher's stone. She however fails to find an editor. Its financial position is degraded then, which creates tensions with his/her Michael brother.

When the First World War bursts, Stein and Toklas, by fidelity with their fatherland of adoption France, take part in the provisioning of the hospitals of countryside and the transport of wounded with their own car. They will be rewarded by the government for this engagement.

After the war the living room of street of Fleurus has less of success. It will make the publication of The Making into 1925 with the editions Contact.

The first successes

So much awaited success arrives really only with the autobiograpie of Alice B. Toklas , its work easiest of access which will enable him to make a lecture tour in the United States. During the War of Spain, Stein supports Franco, and is thus scrambled with Picasso, defender of the republicans. In 1938, Alice and Gertrude move Rue Christine.

The Second world war

Stein and Toklas left Paris to escape persecutions. They profited from the protection of their friend Bernard Faÿ, homosexual collaborator. After the war, they worked with its release.

Stein dies, in 1946 with Neuilly-sur-Seine, of a cancer of the stomach.

Anecdotes

Its portrait by Picasso in 1906 was done with many difficulties. Nearly a hundred sittings were necessary to Picasso to seize the personality of Stein. Picasso found the solution by using this species of inexpressive mask, resulting from its work close to the old Iberian art, which will precede at the same time another major work, founder of the future cubism: Young ladies of Avignon (1907). It is interesting to note that nobody liked this portrait at the time, except the painter and his model! Those which worried about fidelity to the model of its portrait of Gertrude Stein, Picasso answered: “You will see, it will finish by him resembling”.
It is it which will define the authors James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway and Francis Scott Fitzgerald like “The Lost Generation” (the lost generation).
Its worms Rose has pink has pink has pink (1922) became the symbol of the exemption from payment of the avant-garde. It has since receipt an interpretation lesbian. He was parodied, inter alia by Ernest Hemingway and Jeanette Winterson. He is quoted in songs of Mecano and Jeanne Balibar.
has Lyrical Opera Made By Two was put in music by the French type-setter Pascal Dusapin in 1994, under the title To Be Sung .

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