Confessions of an Art Addict

Book excerpt: A candid, intimate self-portrait by the legendary collector, patron of the arts, and globe-trotting socialite. In this colorful memoir, Peggy Guggenheim provides an insider’s view of the early days of modern art, with revealing accounts of her eccentric wealthy family, her personal and professional relationships, and often surprising portrayals of the artists themselves. Guggenheim was born into affluence and a lavish lifestyle. But, bored with her life in New York, she headed for Europe in 1921, where she would sow the seeds for a future as one of modern art’s most important and influential figures. In the midst of Europe’s avant-garde circles, she reveled in her love affairs with prominent artists and also became a serious collector. Her Guggenheim Jeune gallery in London brought figures such as Brancusi, Cocteau, Kandinsky, and Arp to the forefront of the art scene. Later, her New York gallery would launch the careers of Jackson Pollock and Robert Motherwell, among others. In her own inimitable and bawdy style, Peggy Guggenheim gives us a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the modern art world with intimate, often surprising portrayals of its most significant players. Candid, clever, and always entertaining, here is a memoir that captures a valuable chapter in the history of modern art, as well as the spirit of one of its greatest advocates. “It is clear Miss Guggenheim is that mellow combination of a shrewd collector and a true art lover, and her book is an interesting record of the art movement of the ’20s and ’30s.” —Publishers Weekly