Sonia Delaunay: Artist of the Lost Generation

367 Pages·2015·18.204 MB·English

by  Axel Madsen

Sonia Delaunay

Sonia Delaunay
Artist of the Lost Generation
Axel Madsen
All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this book or any
portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known
or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.
Copyright © 1989 by Axel Madsen
ISBN: 978-1-5040-0862-4
Distributed in 2015 by Open Road Distribution
345 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.openroadmedia.com
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
PART ONE
Chapter 1. July 9, 1944 7
Chapter 2. From Sarah to Sonia 18
Chapter 3. A Brave Little Person 27
Chapter 4. The Pleasure of Your Company 32
Chapter 5. The Silver Age 39
Chapter 6. A Young Lady of Independent Means 48
Chapter 7. Boulevard du Montparnasse 55
Chapter 8. Les Demoiselles d’Avignon 67
Chapter 9. Sonia Terk, Painter 77
Chapter 10. Willy 82
Chapter 11. Robert 93
Chapter 12. Fireworks 101
Chapter 13. La Vie de Bohème 113
Chapter 14. Syntheses 127
Chapter 15. Distant Drums 136
Chapter 16. To Be Thirty 147
Chapter 17. Disks and Circles 155
PART TWO
Chapter 18. Diaghilev 163
Chapter 19. Transitions 172
Chapter 20. Surrealists 176
Chapter 21. Fashions 180
Chapter 22. Art Deco 193
Chapter 23. All in the Family 205
CONTENTS
Chapter 24. Recessions 217
Chapter 25. World’s Fair 228
Chapter 26. In Demand 237
Chapter 27. Incidental Events 247
Chapter 28. “What a Lovely Trip” 260
PART THREE
Chapter 29. Alone 271
Chapter 30. Les Six de Grasse 277
Chapter 31. Trial of Strength 289
Chapter 32. Artbiz 297
Chapter 33. Her Turn 313
Chapter 34. Midnight Sunrise 325
Chapter 35. Endgames 333
Chapter 36. When the Paint Was Fresh 341
Notes 345
Bibliography 353
Books Illustrated by Sonia Delaunay 357
vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
T
he author owes special gratitude to Charles Delaunay, Sonia’s only
child, who despite terminal illness gave of his time and energy, only
to die before this book was finished. Unless otherwise reported in foot-
notes, conversations are transcribed from interviews with Mr. Delaunay.
I could not thank all the people who took time to help me pre-
pare this book—and not all would want their names to appear. Let me
thank at least:
In Paris: Jacques Damase, Philippe Labrousse, Dina Vierny,
Georges Hoffman, and Florence Callu.
In Nice, Cannes, and Grasse: Marie-Louise and Svante Loefgren,
Ferdinand and Irène Springer, and Céline Weiss.
In Munich: Peter Gehrig.
In Lisbon: The staff of the Gulbenkian Foundation.
In New York and Chicago: Edyth Klinow, Suzi Magnelli, Lisa Frost,
Jane Jordan Browne, and René de Costa.
In Los Angeles: Ileana Alteresco.
In Wilmington, Delaware: Linda Winkler, Phil Winkler, and Hat-
suhana.
And in New Hope, Pennsylvania: Ragna Hamilton and Dr. Edwin
Carlin.
Carversville, Pennsylvania, June 1989
vii

Sonia Delaunay