Modigliani's passionate love is the eccentric intellectual Beatrice Hastings. Following in the footsteps of a rabbit to the lake district The beginning of the bloody trail
Here's what you can glean from the encyclopedic dictionary...
Beatrice Hastings (12 May 1879, London - 30 October 1943, Worthing, West Sussex) - English poet and literary critic, one of Amedeo Modigliani's muses, who lived with him in the same apartment in Montparnasse... and was the model for several of his paintings .
They met in June 1914. The talented and eccentric Englishwoman Beatrice, five years older than Amedeo, had already tried herself in the field of a circus performer, journalist, poetess, traveler, art critic, and there were many more attempts to “search for herself.” Anna Akhmatova would later write about her : "Another rope dancer..."
They immediately became inseparable. Modigliani came to live with her.
So, in order...
Beatrice Hastings (born Beatrice Hastings, real name Emily Alice Haigh) was born on May 12, 1879 in London.
She was married but divorced her husband, became interested in mysticism, published several rather vitriolic critical articles, and then began to write poetry herself. Much of her work before the outbreak of the First World War was published in the British literary magazine New Age. under various pseudonyms, she was in a close relationship with the editor of the magazine R. Orage. She was a friend of Katherine Mansfield, whose work was first published in The New Age. After some time, she moved to Paris and became a famous character in the bohemian circles of Paris thanks to her friendship with Max Jacob (writer), who introduced them to Amedeo.
There were rumors that Beatrice was madly in love with Amedeo, trying to save him from drunkenness and poverty... It was also rumored that Beatrice drank much more than the artist himself...
One way or another, Beatrice at that time served as the artist’s main source of inspiration.
Modigliani's romance with Beatrice was a typical bohemian romance - with immoderate libations, endless conversations about art, scandals and fights, crazy love. Quarreling every day and even using their fists, they nevertheless lived for 2 years.
There were rumors that Modigliani once threw Beatrice out of the window.
Another time, he himself told his friend, the sculptor Jacques Lipchitz, that Beatrice beat him with a rag, and admitted that during the next brawl, Beatrice grabbed his genitals with her hands and teeth as if she wanted to tear them off.
Sometimes, when Amedeo was overcome by anxiety, anger, horror, Beatrice told him: “Modigliani, do not forget that you are a gentleman, your mother is a lady of high society.” These words acted on him like a spell, and he fell silent and calmed down.
In the Hastings archive, among the scattered records, the following was found:
“One day we had a whole battle, we chased each other around the house, up and down the stairs, and his weapon was flower pot, and mine is a long broom."
The description of this and other similar scenes usually ended with the words: “How happy I was then in this hut in Montmartre!..”
When he was furious, usually because she was paying attention to another man, he would drag her down the street by her hair
During the heyday of their love, he created some of the most significant works: portraits of Diego Rivera, Jean Cocteau, Leo Bakst, and, of course, portraits of Beatrice herself. It was during the war years and the affair with Beatrice that Modigliani managed to achieve some success.
In 1914, Paul Guillaume began buying the artist's works. In 1916, this “art dealer” was replaced by a native of Poland, Leopold Zborowski.
For the first time with her, Modigliani felt that “sensuality in painting is as necessary as a brush and paints; without it, portraits turn out sluggish and lifeless.”
A. Modigliani Portrait of Beatrice Hastings against the background of doors
She wrote about her attitude towards Modigliani’s work in the New Age magazine in 1915: “I have a stone head by Modigliani, which I would not be willing to part with for a hundred pounds, despite the current general financial crisis... This head with a calm smile embodies wisdom and madness, deep mercy and light sensitivity, numbness and voluptuousness, illusions and disappointment, locking it all in itself as an object of eternal reflection. This stone is read as clearly as Ecclesiastes, only its language is consoling, because no gloomy hopelessness in this bright smile of wise balance, alien to any threat."
Beatrice ran away from Modigliani in 1916. Since then they have not seen each other again.
Beatrix Potter Illustrations | "The Tale of Benjamin Rabbit"English children's writer and Beatrix Potter was born on July 28, 1866 in Kensington, London.
Beatrix Potter was sixteen years old when she first saw the Lake District. Then, more than a hundred years ago, she fell in love with the beauty of its nature and decided to settle there someday. As an adult, she fulfilled her youthful dream and moved from London to Hill Top Farm. Beatrice drew detailed illustrations for her fairy tales, in which it is easy to recognize her native home with a garden.
The writer’s neighbors showed great interest in her work and were happy when they recognized their own houses in the pictures. They often saw Beatrice with a sketchbook, outdoors, in the countryside and in the nearby market town of Hawkshead. Local scenes formed the basis of fairy tales about little animals, and were performed so wonderfully that people still come from all over the world to see the places depicted in her books.
Beatrice loved animals very much and studied them all her life. When she was little, frogs, mice, a hedgehog, Isaac Newton's newt and even a bat lived in her nursery. Beatrice watched them and drew. And her drawings got better and better. By the time she began to depict her heroes dressed in dresses, frock coats and caftans, the animals in the pictures seemed to come to life. Beatrice had two pet rabbits, to whom she devoted many illustrations. She led one of them, Peter Rabbit, on a leash and took it with her everywhere, even on the train. She dressed him in a blue jacket and wrote her first fairy tale about him with her own illustrations - the most famous in the whole world.
Beatrix Potter's journey as a writer and artist began in 1902, when publisher Frederick Warne published The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Previously, several publishers refused the small book. Until 1910, Beatrice wrote, drew and published an average of two books a year. The fees gave her some independence, although she still lived with her parents. In 1905, Beatrice's publisher Norman Warne proposed to her. Beatrice agreed to marry, but Warne died of blood cancer a few weeks later. That same year she purchased Hill Top Farm in the village of Soray. After Norman's death, she tried to spend as much time there as possible. Types of farm and surrounding nature began to appear in the form of illustrations for her books. In 1913, at the age of forty-seven, Beatrice married the notary William Heelis and began to live permanently in the village of Sorey.
Beatrix Potter was one of the first to take up conservation in England. She gradually bought up the farms of her bankrupt neighbors, allowing them to continue farming. Beatrice bequeathed 4,000 acres of land and 15 farms National Park. She died on December 22, 1943 in Neer Sorey, Cumbria.
The first fairy tale translated into Russian was “Ukhti-Tukhti” - it was published in 1961 and then reprinted many times. Released in 2006 Feature Film about her - "Miss Potter", where main role played by Renee Zellweger. In 2009, for the first time, her nine fairy tales in three books were published with original illustrations and translated into Russian.
Illustrations for the book: "The Tale of Benjamin Rabbit" | "The Tale of Benjamin Bunny"
Beatrice's ancestors lived on an inheritance from the cotton trade. Father, Rupert, devoted most of his time to his own passion for art and photography, and mother, Helen, spent time in the company of writers, painters and politicians. Beatrice's brother Bertram was born 6 years after his sister and was her close friend. At the age of 6, he was sent to boarding school.
Beatrice had a closed and lonely childhood, common for the daughters of bourgeois families of the Victorian era. She was educated by governesses, and she rarely saw other children.
Potter had a particularly close relationship with her dad, and it was he who was the first to recognize her artistic talent.
Beatrice loved animals and studied them all her life. As children, he and his brother kept frogs, mice, a hedgehog, Isaac Newton's newt, and bat. She watched them and drew them, gradually improving her skills. Later she began to draw animals in clothes, which was an innovation at that time.
Beatrice also had two panties, to which she dedicated many illustrations. She took one of them, Peter the bunny, with her everywhere, even on the train, and led him on a leash. In the paintings, she dressed him in a blue jacket - this image is known throughout the world. It was specifically about St. Petersburg that she wrote her first fairy tale with her illustrations.
In 1902, publisher Frederik Horn published this tale, which had previously been rejected by several other publishers. By 1910, Beatrix Potter was writing, illustrating and publishing approximately 2 books a year. She received fees, which gave her some independence, although she still lived with her parents. In 1905, Beatrice Norman Horne's publisher proposed marriage to her, and she accepted. Norman died a few weeks later from blood cancer. That same year, Beatrice acquired Hill Top Farm in the village of Saray in the Lake District, where she spent a lot of time after Norman's death. In 1913, when she was 47, Beatrix married William Heelis, a notary from the village of Saray, and settled down there. Even at the age of 16, when she visited the Lake District, she was so captivated by its nature that one day she decided to settle there. In the illustrations of Beatrix Potter you can easily identify her house and garden.
After 1920, Potter began to lose her sight and drew less. On this moment her books mainly consisted of sketches and drawings made earlier. His last major work was “The Tale of Pig Robinson,” published in 1930.
Beatrix Potter was one of the first to become intensively involved in conservation in Great Britain. Gradually, she bought up the farms of her bankrupt neighbors, allowing them to manage the farm.
At the age of 77, Beatrix Potter died from a severe form of bronchitis. She left 4,000 acres of land and 15 farms as a legacy to the National Park.
In 2006, a feature film about the writer entitled “Miss Potter” was released.
And it all started with the hobby of a little girl. She loved to draw animals and make up stories about them different stories. These animals were almost her only friends; the girl was very withdrawn and liked to be alone with her fantasies more than to play with other children. Her parents were quite wealthy people; they did not take the girl’s talents seriously.
In 1901, Beatrice published her first book, “The Story of Peter Rabbit,” with her own money. The book was not accepted by half a dozen publishers, but it was still published in 250 copies with black and white illustrations that the author made herself. She insisted on a price of halfpenny per book: "little rabbits can't afford to spend 6s." The book instantly became popular, a few weeks later another edition was published, then another, and today this fairy tale can be read in almost any language in the world. It was followed by two dozen more stories, including “The Tale of the Squirrel Click-Click”, “The Tale of Benjamin Rabbit”, “The Tailor of Gloucester” and others.
Lake District
Beatrice lived almost her entire life on the Hill Top estate in the Lake District in the north of England, now her house-museum is on this estate.
Beatrix Potter was sixteen years old when she first saw the Lake District. Then, more than a hundred years ago, she fell in love with the beauty of its nature and decided to settle there someday. As an adult, she fulfilled her youthful dream and moved from London to Hill Top Farm. Beatrice drew detailed illustrations for her fairy tales, in which it is easy to recognize her house and garden.
The writer’s neighbors showed great interest in her work and were happy when they recognized their own houses in the pictures. They often saw Beatrice with a sketchbook, outdoors, in the countryside and in the nearby market town of Hawkshead. Local scenes formed the basis of fairy tales about little animals, and were performed so wonderfully that people still come from all over the world to see the places depicted in her books.
In 1905, the publisher of Beatrice's first book, Norman Warne, proposed to her, but died of blood cancer a few weeks later. That same year she purchased Hill Top Farm in the village of Soray. After Norman's death, she tried to spend as much time there as possible. Views of the farm and surrounding nature began to appear in the form of illustrations for her books. In 1913, at the age of forty-seven, Beatrice married the notary William Heelis and began to live permanently in the village of Sorey.
Beatrix Potter was one of the first to take up conservation in England. She gradually bought up the farms of her bankrupt neighbors, allowing them to continue farming. The writer bequeathed 4,000 acres of land and 15 farms to the National Park. Read more>>
Miss Potter in the movies
The heroes of Beatrice's books more than once became cartoon characters; in 1971, a ballet was even staged in London, in which famous English dancers of that time danced the roles of squirrels, mice, frogs and other small animals.
IN theme park"World of Beatrix Potter" you can meet Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle-Duck and many other characters she created. You can even visit Mr. McGregor's garden and watch your favorite stories and characters come to life.
The museum is located about five minutes walk from the lake in Windermere, UK. This is an amazing, sincere place where you can learn a lot about the great English writer Beatrix Potter.
Helen Beatrix Potter was born in 1866 in London rich family. Beatrix's parents lived on an inheritance from the cotton trade. Beatrix had a closed and lonely childhood, typical of daughters born into bourgeois families of the Victorian era. She rarely spent time with her mother and father and, being home-schooled by governesses, had little opportunity to meet other children.
Beatrix aged 9, 1875
Beatrix spent most of his youth, independently studying painting and drawing sketches.
Beatrix's love for animals was shared by her brother. The children spent hours observing and sketching the pets that lived in their classroom. Their collection included frogs, a turtle, salamanders, mice, hedgehogs, rabbits and even a bat.
Beatrix first visited the Lake District at the age of 16. This visit introduced her to the Lakeland landscape, which would become the inspiration for much of her most beloved work.
Panoramic view of Derwent Water from Catbells Mountain on the west side
In her 20s, Beatrix has developed into a talented naturalist. She studied plants and animals in the Cromwell Road museums, and learned to draw using a microscope. If she had been born half a century later, we might have known her as a mycologist - an expert on mushrooms.
Potter was the first person in Britain and one of the first in the world to recognize that lichens are made up of two organisms: fungi and algae. Microscopic studies of lichens led her to the conclusion that these organisms live in mutually beneficial relationships: symbiosis. She was particularly interested in Funghi (Latin for fungi), and wrote a paper entitled "Germination of Agaricineae Spores". In 1897, with the help of her uncle, famous chemist Sir Henry Roscoe, the work was presented to the Linnaeus Society (all men). Of course, she was not allowed to read her work herself, since only men had the right to attend the meetings. But since she was an amateur and, perhaps more importantly, a woman, her efforts were not taken seriously and her theories were rejected. (In 1997, the Society published a formal apology to Potter posthumously.)
This disrespect probably prompted Beatrix to focus more on drawing and painting, abilities that had already begun to generate a modest income. Mainly from selling designs for greeting cards.
In 1901, after the idea was rejected by six publishers, Beatrix published her own edition of the rabbit story. After seeing the copy, the publishing firm Frederick Warne & Co. decided to publish Peter Rabbit. The company was run by Frederick Warne's three sons. The work of printing the book was entrusted to the youngest of the brothers, Norman Warne. He became editor of Potter. In 1902, The Tale of Peter Rabbit was published and six more editions had to be published within a year to meet demand. By Christmas 20,000 copies had been sold.
First edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit, 1902
Potter was amazed: “Society must love rabbits! What an awful lot of Peter.” The Tale of Peter Rabbit soon captured the imagination of children and adults around the world. In 100 years, the book reached a circulation of 40 million copies worldwide!
A skilled artist, storyteller and book designer, Potter was also a shrewd businesswoman. Her product designs, faithful to the original illustrations, provided Warne with additional revenue and formed the first shopping program of its kind.
In 1903, Potter patented a Peter Rabbit doll with a mustache "pulled from a brush" and "lead bullets in the legs"; she also created a Peter Rabbit mosaic, a Peter Rabbit wallpaper, and even a Peter Rabbit board game.
"Peter Rabbit Racing Game"
This success marked the beginning of a lifelong relationship between Beatrix and Warne. It also led to friendship and then love between Beatrix and Norman Warne.
Norman Warne
In the summer of 1905, Norman sent Beatrix a special letter. It was a marriage proposal. Although she was an adult woman, Beatrix needed her parents' permission to marry.
Despite her parents, who believed that, as a “shopkeeper,” the publisher was an unsuitable match for their daughter, Beatrix accepted the offer. But unexpectedly, Norman died less than a month later from blood cancer.
Beatrix was devastated but nevertheless decided to make a change in her life and bought Hill Top Farm in the village of Sorey in the Lake District.
Farm Hill Top
She also continued to write, publishing one or two new "little books" each year for the next eight years. In 1909, while purchasing another property in Cumbria close to Hill Top, she met local lawyer William Heelis. They became close friends. And they decided to legalize their relationship on October 13, 1913. He was five years younger than her. By all accounts, William and Beatrix were very happy together.
Beatrix Potter and William Heelis, Bolton Gardens, 1913
The marriage freed Beatrix and she settled properly in the Lake District. She was finally able to throw herself into the role of "Lady Farmer", enjoying the physical daily tasks such as helping with haymaking or cleaning dirty drains. Beatrix also became an expert at breeding Herdwick sheep, found only in the Lake District of Cumbria in North West England. In fact, if it weren't for Beatrix Potter, they might have disappeared completely.
Besides Agriculture, Beatrix's main passion last years Her life's focus was on conservation, an interest inspired by her friendship with Vicar Hardwicke Rawnsley, one of the founders of the National Trust. Her real estate expansion, financed by income from book sales, gave her the opportunity to preserve more than just part of the unique landscape Lake District, but also traditional farming methods
At 77, Beatrix developed a severe form of bronchitis and died. She bequeathed that all her property would go to the National Trust. 14 farms and 4,000 acres of land were transferred to the National Trust. The lands she owned are protected from development today. At her direction, Herdwick sheep continue to be bred there.
In all, Beatrix wrote 23 "little books" that remain extremely popular today. Translated into many languages, its characters - especially Peter Rabbit - are still loved by children.
Over the last century, Peter Rabbit has appeared in a wider variety of household items, clothing and accessories, and in 1971 played a leading role in the film ballet The Tales of Beatrix Potter by Reginald Mills.
While traveling around England, take a look at the Lake District, delightful in its nature, stunning in its atmosphere, incredible in its beauty - and be happy! Now let's go to the museum itself.
Literally from the first step you can understand that you are in a fairy tale. Naturally, either children (and therefore their parents) or adults who are not only familiar with the work of Beatrix Potter, but for whom her work was their childhood - family and loved one - should go here, then you will leave the museum with eyes full of tears, and a heart full of warmth.
The museum greets you with a beautiful decorated corridor; a small cozy cafe, where I simply did not have time to go (unfortunately) and a small souvenir shop - chocolate, gifts, books, pens, toys with characters from Beatrix Potter books - all this can be found and purchased in this store. Of course, the prices are not low, but the gifts are worth it.
The museum itself is conventionally divided into eight zones, where the eighth zone is a souvenir shop.
So, zone one.
You are given the opportunity to watch a short film - just four minutes - which will let you know where you have come, briefly tell you about Beatrix Potter (if you suddenly forgot who she is), show her illustrations and her works. After this, the doors open and you see the road to heaven. To heaven for children. This is the main exhibition where the characters of Beatrix Potter came to life. Where you can not only see them, but also touch them.
Very, very nice. Dimmed but soft light; light, kind and gentle colors; a little girly, childish, but incredibly touching. When I entered the museum, I couldn’t even imagine how much I wouldn’t want to leave. It seems like just toys, but it seems like... the whole world that you want to explore. Even adults.
So, zone two: Mister Tod's underground house and Jemima the duck's forest clearing.
You are given the opportunity to enjoy 3-D scenes from the works of Beatrix Potter, with a very light and light atmosphere, real sounds and smells that literally take you into the books. Walk through the clearing with Jemima, passing through the tree branches to see Mr. Todd and the pigs from The Tale of Pigling Bland.
Admire a few more photos from the first and second zones, and then we’ll move on to the third, perhaps the most “real”, lively, sincere and interesting:
So, zone 3.
This is Peter Rabbit's garden.
Here you will find everything. Kindergarten - under open air; plants from the work; the setting of the garden is like in the works about Peter Rabbit, if you have read them, you will definitely remember all the plots. You will understand where all this happened. And yes, your soul will feel warm =)
After the kindergarten comes area 4. You are invited to look into Miss Tiggy-winkle's kitchen.
You are invited to return indoors from the kindergarten and follow the adventures of the Nutkin squirrel and Miss Tittlemouse, then look into the kitchen and smell the fresh laundry from the laundry. There is also a wonderful view for taking a family photo.
You can take photos for free. There is no fine or additional fee for this, and there is no restriction itself. Click the camera shutter as much as you want. However, due to lighting, photographs do not always turn out well.
Photos from the garden are still ongoing - you can read the list of plants from fairy tales on the board. It's interesting. And the truth is a whole world, a whole world...
