dark eyes.
Eyes that took in everything.
And then
he began to paint,
Eighty times during the winter
of 1906,
Gertrude climbed that hill
and sat quietly
while Pablo painted
and painted ... "
Gertrude Stein lived very close to the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris after she left the United States to live abroad; it is fitting that this tale of her life begins there. In the first of eight short chapters, Evie Robillard describes the place where Ms. Stein lived, first with her brother Leo, and then with her partner Alice B. Toklas. It was a home filled with the art that she and Leo loved and bought once they were settled.
"Matisse, Cezanne, Gaugin,
Marie Laurencin,
Georges Braque, Juan Gris.
And, of course, Picasso.
The one and only Pablo Picasso."
Each of the seven chapters that follow begin with a Stein quote, and tell of their life lived in the early to mid 1900s. As an adult, Gertrude had her portrait painted by Picasso. As well, she used words to paint her own personal life views. Anyone who wanted to visit and see the art collection was met by Alice at the front door, and offered tea. If the visitor met with Alice's approval, entrance was allowed.
"Look at all these people!
Sipping tea and drinking wine
and oohing
and aahing
and trying to say intelligent things
about the paintings on the wall."
In charming text, the reader is made aware of the idiosyncrasies of the two women who so clearly represented modernism. Brilliant in their own ways, yet often misunderstood, theirs is a story that intrigues in a book that informs interested readers. Using gouache, colored pencil, and graphite in shades of blue and green, and also yellow and pale pinks, Ms. Katstaller offers a historical perspective and adds context for the story told.
A timeline, snapshots, a list of sources and an author's note are included in back matter. The author's note explains more clearly what life was like during World War II in France and the connections the two women made during the invasion.
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