Peggy Guggenheim: The Shock of the Modern

Peggy Guggenheim (1898–1979) was an incomparable connoisseur and patron of modern art. Her passion for the work of such artists as Constantin Brancusi, Jackson Pollock, Max Ernst, and others led her to amass a superb collection for her New York gallery and, eventually, for her unparalleled museum in Venice. Here, Prose (Caravaggio; Reading Like a Writer) reveals the many aspects of Guggenheim's private life which was, at turns, startling, tragic, and unconventional, with challenges ranging from turbulent relationships to struggles with prejudice. Her ability to shock was legendary. Through it all, though, she was a champion of art, discovering and introducing emerging talents on a larger scale while building a collection of lasting renown. Prose skillfully blends the events of Guggenheim's experience with details about the 20th-century art scene, all in a vivid setting of time and place. Her depictions of key artists, family members, husbands, and others are distinctive in their complexity of character and contribute to a deeper understanding of the personal and professional facets of this enigmatic woman.