Saturday, May 30, 2009

Dorthea Tanning's Long, Creative Life

Max Ernst and Dorthea Tanning 1948
Bayou

Beyond the Esplanade 1940

Both of these paintings are by Dorthea Tanning. I love them. The first one looks like it may have been a costume design and the second one reminds me of Picasso. I know that Dorthea Tanning married Max Ernst in 1946 and that she drove Peggy Guggenheim crazy. I have her book "Birthday" in my book shelf. Maybe I should re-read it. I found these images on the Frey Norris Gallery website in their annex which houses a nice collection of surrealist art: here is the LINK
Some of her surreal works I don't like quite so much. But, these show a more classical sensibility. I just looked her up on wikipedia and it looks like she is still alive at age 98(!?) and she is still producing books and poetry. She has had museum retrospectives and designed costumes and sets for theater and ballet. She was with Ernst for 36 years.

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