| Description |
Mabel Dodge Luhan (1897- 1962) occupies an important and pivotal place in the artistic culture o f early twentieth-century America. Yet despite her prominence, Luhan is seldom heard o f today. This study examines Luhan's life and significance, using painted portraits, word portraits, and photography. Organized chronologically, it includes twenty-four visual portraits (paintings and photographs), spanning the years 1910 to 1948, that are examined on their own terms and in the context of their creation as is detailed in Luhan's autobiography. Gertrude Stein's famous "word portrait" and the subsequent word portraits of Luhan are also examined. By examining the three types o f single subject portraiture-formal portraits, literary form, and photography-coupled with her autobiographical writings and letters, this study reveals a new scholarly interpretation of Luhan's life, her role as an art patron, and her influence on American culture in the early decades of the twentieth century. |
