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Lovingly, Georgia: The Complete Correspondence of Georgia O'Keeffe and Anita Pollitzer
Correspondence between the two artists share their views on women's rights, literature, and art
365 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1990
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 9, 2017
This collection of letters (1915-1917, 1950-1968) is a fascinating revelation of Georgia O'Keeffe before she became Stieglitz's protegee, a successful artist, and (finally) a legend. Anita Pollitzer was the door through which O'Keeffe passed to all her later selves: Anita introduced her drawings to Stieglitz, opening the "ambitious, hungry, and impatient" O'Keeffe to everything else that happened to her.
"I want everything and I want it now," O'Keeffe wrote to her friend. Among the things she wanted during the early part of this correspondence was Arthur Macmahon. The letters reveal Georgia's capacity for emotional obsession and her use of art (she was working in charcoal) as a retreat from threatening emotional turbulence. Anita is both a sounding board and a canvas upon which O'Keeffe expresses, explores, and develops feelings she might otherwise have repressed. Their friendship is a sanctuary in a tumultuous period of O'Keeffe's life.
But as Benita Eisler writes in the must-read introduction to the collection, "fame was the most effective solvent" of this early friendship. After O'Keeffe invested her emotional commitments to Stieglitz, Anita was moved to the periphery of the artist's life. Still later, when Anita sent her the manuscript of the O'Keeffe biography she had written (with GOK's permission), O'Keeffe rejected it and threatened to sue. As Eisler's writes, the woman who appeared in Anita's fondly remembered and romanticized portrait was a "stranger to the Empress of Abiquiu," the austere iconographic legend into which she had transformed herself. The O'Keeffe of the later years is nothing like the eager young woman--daring, hopeful, brave, and deeply responsive to people and events--revealed in these letters. For that very reason, they are a treasure.
"I want everything and I want it now," O'Keeffe wrote to her friend. Among the things she wanted during the early part of this correspondence was Arthur Macmahon. The letters reveal Georgia's capacity for emotional obsession and her use of art (she was working in charcoal) as a retreat from threatening emotional turbulence. Anita is both a sounding board and a canvas upon which O'Keeffe expresses, explores, and develops feelings she might otherwise have repressed. Their friendship is a sanctuary in a tumultuous period of O'Keeffe's life.
But as Benita Eisler writes in the must-read introduction to the collection, "fame was the most effective solvent" of this early friendship. After O'Keeffe invested her emotional commitments to Stieglitz, Anita was moved to the periphery of the artist's life. Still later, when Anita sent her the manuscript of the O'Keeffe biography she had written (with GOK's permission), O'Keeffe rejected it and threatened to sue. As Eisler's writes, the woman who appeared in Anita's fondly remembered and romanticized portrait was a "stranger to the Empress of Abiquiu," the austere iconographic legend into which she had transformed herself. The O'Keeffe of the later years is nothing like the eager young woman--daring, hopeful, brave, and deeply responsive to people and events--revealed in these letters. For that very reason, they are a treasure.
September 19, 2024
I really love reading other peoples letters. Yes, I am as nosy as all that. But there is something wonderfully intimate about reading letters, and its interesting how different, and yet how similar they are to modern texting or emails.
These letters, over a couple of years, are between school friends Anita Pollitzer and Georgia O'Keeffe, and cover everything from family, work, and so much about art.
Its grounding to see that, for every lofty exchange of ideas, there are just as many notes about ordinary things. The high and the mundane.
This is especially worthwhile for fans of O'Keeffe, who can see what's happening (and how important Pollitzer was in getting her friends work in front of influential eyes) in the trajectory of her career.
But for all the import that these letters have on the history of art, they are also the letters of two friends, very young women, trying to find themselves in the world.
These letters, over a couple of years, are between school friends Anita Pollitzer and Georgia O'Keeffe, and cover everything from family, work, and so much about art.
Its grounding to see that, for every lofty exchange of ideas, there are just as many notes about ordinary things. The high and the mundane.
This is especially worthwhile for fans of O'Keeffe, who can see what's happening (and how important Pollitzer was in getting her friends work in front of influential eyes) in the trajectory of her career.
But for all the import that these letters have on the history of art, they are also the letters of two friends, very young women, trying to find themselves in the world.
June 29, 2016
A collection of letters between Georgia O'Keeffe and Anita Pollitzer. On the whole, an interesting glimpse into the formative years of Georgia O'Keeffe's life. As the correspondence between the two dwindles, it looses some of its punch. It also could benefit from more contextual information so that you get a fuller picture of what's happening surrounding the letters.
Anita and Georgia met in art school in New York and kept up a correspondence for many years, but especially in the early days of their friendship and life as art students. They talk about their day-to-day, their love lives, political leanings, and copy poems and recommend books. They discuss ideas in art and advice from their teachers. They mailed art to one another to review, including a set of abstract charcoal works which Anita takes to Alfred Stieglitz, thus launching Georgia's career (and love life).
I enjoyed the glimpse into life at this time period. Life moves at a slower pace. They take walks into the hills. They go on aimless drives. They ask one another if they saw the full moon. They spend summers in the countryside. At one point, while Georgia is teaching in the panhandle of Texas, she sends Anita $10 to buy materials. The school's library burned down and she has not even one photo to teach her set of courses in art and interior design.
The book generally loses steam towards the last third, as the pace of their letters dwindles and they have clearly gone in separate directions. (Anita becomes involved in the women's suffragette movement which takes over from her art.) The book ends on a bitter note, as later in life Anita writes a bio of Georgia which Georgia takes down in a rather harsh letter.
It's a great read if you're interested in the makings of an artist, even if you skim more towards the end of the letters.
Anita and Georgia met in art school in New York and kept up a correspondence for many years, but especially in the early days of their friendship and life as art students. They talk about their day-to-day, their love lives, political leanings, and copy poems and recommend books. They discuss ideas in art and advice from their teachers. They mailed art to one another to review, including a set of abstract charcoal works which Anita takes to Alfred Stieglitz, thus launching Georgia's career (and love life).
I enjoyed the glimpse into life at this time period. Life moves at a slower pace. They take walks into the hills. They go on aimless drives. They ask one another if they saw the full moon. They spend summers in the countryside. At one point, while Georgia is teaching in the panhandle of Texas, she sends Anita $10 to buy materials. The school's library burned down and she has not even one photo to teach her set of courses in art and interior design.
The book generally loses steam towards the last third, as the pace of their letters dwindles and they have clearly gone in separate directions. (Anita becomes involved in the women's suffragette movement which takes over from her art.) The book ends on a bitter note, as later in life Anita writes a bio of Georgia which Georgia takes down in a rather harsh letter.
It's a great read if you're interested in the makings of an artist, even if you skim more towards the end of the letters.
July 7, 2011
ILately, I've been interested in finding out more about Georgia O'Keeffe and thought this book of letters between Georgia and Anita Pollitzer would be a good way to do that. And it is a good way to get a glimpse of personality and what she was like . . . but a whole book of letters was just too much. It got pretty boring actually. The introduction was probably the most interesting part . . . and the last section of letters where she rejects the biography that Anita wrote about her . . . and in fact threatens to sue if she publishes it.
February 3, 2015
Let me put it this way, I like anything and everything I can read that will increase my appreciation of Georgia O'Keeffe. While the letters themselves are not necessarily riveting each and every time, they nonetheless help give some idea of how Georgia lived and thought. Anita's letters certainly describe her life and style. If you like to time-travel and imagine yourself in someone else's world, you will enjoy this - even the maddeningly elusive Georgia O'Keeffe who did not exactly bare her soul.
October 8, 2010
This set of letters ranges from 1915 to 1968 and it is almost heartbreaking to see the change especially in O'Keeffe over the years as she goes from a enthusiastic open artist willing to try and fail to an icon of American art with all the fame and wealth it brought to her. Pollizter seems almost girlish in her letters and I sort of thing somewhat intimidated by O'Keeffe especially toward the end of the correspondence.
August 8, 2014
i finished it months ago. i don't know if this book will hold a persons interest, if they're not wowed by o'keefe.
August 21, 2016
If you're a fan of Georgia O'Keeffe—her paintings and her personality, this complete correspondence with her best friend and fellow artist, Anita Pollitzer, should thrill you.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews