Page 16 - Studio International - January 1965

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defined as the most dramatic interpreter of the restless­
ness and anxiety of our time (paying for it himself).
Such is the swiftness of our means of information that.
at this short distance of time. many events of modern art
appear obvious. But in Italy, towards 1 950. avant-garde
artistic culture was scarcely diffused.
And it was a great gesture of Peggy when she made
up her mind to bring to Venice her collection, which.
being exhibited at the Biennale. promoted a remarkable
bringing up to date, acting at a more and more acceler­
ated rhythm from 1950 onwards.
In 1945. at the end of the war, the names of Arp.
Brancusi. Ernst. Mondrian, Klee. Marcel Duchamp.
Kandinsky. to mention no others. were known to
very few initiates in Italy. Peggy made them known­
each one by his own most significant works which were
included in her collection-and thus suggested the
subsequent selections. made by the directors of the
Biennale, headed by Prof. Pallucchini, in their purpose
of presenting every second year new chapters of a
comprehensive historical survey of modern art.
In the course of these last years the Guggenheim
collection. which will be exhibited without exclusions
at the Tate Gallery. has been enriched by the purchase
of works by Bacon. Hartung. De Kooning. Alan Davie.
Kemeny. Consagra, Mirko. Vedova. Santomaso. Hun­
dertwasser. etc. Peggy's interest turned to the younger
too. like Tancredi (by whose recent tragic death Italian
people were deeply struck) and Arnaldo Pomodoro.
But the framework of her collection consists above all.
as I already said. of the major surrealists (Matta.
Germaine Richier. Ernst. Miro. Giacometti. De Chirico.
Dali. Tanguy. Leonor Fini) and of essential works such
as Bird in space (1940) and Maiastra (1912) by
Brancusi, A crown of breasts (1945) by Arp. The waltz
(1912) by Braque, The poet (1911). Lacerba (1914),
The Studio (1928) and La baignade (1937) by
Picasso. Mobile (1941) by Calder. A sad young man in
the train (1911) by Marcel Duchamp. Man-cactus No. 1
by Gonzales, Landscape (1913) by Kandinsky. Magic
garden (1926) by Klee. Men in town (1919) by Leger.
Construction developable surface (1938-1939) and
Developable surface ( 1 941 ) by Pevsner. The rarest
painting in the world (1915) by Picabia. Merzbild
relief (1925) by Schwitters. A construction of volumes
(1918) by Vantongerloo. Reclining figure (1938) by
Moore. Composition (1921) by El Lissitzky. Suprematist
composition (1915) by Malevich. Remembrance of the
farm (1911) by Chagall, Dynamic construction of a
gallop, Horse + house (1913-14) by Boccioni.
The angel of the town (1949) by Marino Marini.
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Pablo Picasso It is an imposing unit of works. disposed in the rooms
Lacerba. 1914 of the palace. the garden and the barchessa (an annexe
Paper collage and drawing. after the style of certain rural buildings of Venetia). far
71 x 57 cm. away very different from what is usual in museums.
that is. as elements incorporated in the environment
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Jean Arp where the collector lives. parts of her own daily life.
Corona di seni. 1945 The intercourse between the collector and her works of
Marble. 46 cm. higl1 art is established with an evident and natural spon­
taneousness. Each room has a character of its own.
3 emphasized by its furniture (often designed by great
Max Ernst
II bacio. 1927 artists) and by uncommon objects (surrealistic. African.
128 x 160 cm. Polynesian. Indian. Mexican) which by their magic or
sometimes only by an odd aspect. seem to introduce
4 an exotic and mysterious touch into the antique
Piet Mondrian Venetian palace.
1872-1945 This is typical of the taste and the rather strange
Composizione. 1939
104 x 102 cm. temperament of Peggy, who has been able to give her
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