Confessions of an Art Addict

Some years ago, the Jewish Museum (NYC) had a most interesting exhibition on Jewish Women and their Salons, focusing on a limited number of women who made a difference in the art of their times by creating settings within which artists could meet with other artists and with patrons. In the fine book accompanying the exhibition (Jewish Women and their Salons:The Power of Conversation....by Emily D. Bilski and Emily Braun), they explain the absence of Peggy Guggenheim, among other very important women helping artists to become recognized-"We also distinguished those who held salons with regular hours and a circle of habitues, from occasional if important hostesses(such as Peggy Guggenheim)". In other words, being a small museum, half of whose viewing space is consumed by a permanent exhibition of whirlwind tour of Jewish art over the millenia, they had no room for more than five and they found a reason to exclude her and other outstanding Jewish women (eg, the Cone sisters of Baltimore) who provided financial and social support to artists often desperately in need of it. One understands the inexorable limitations, but also recognize that P. Guggenheim is right up there in creating a demand among collectors for modern art.I did not know, until reading through some of the reviews here that there was an earlier edition than the kindle one which revealed more of the "dirt", that is, more details of here sexual encounters over the years. There are a number of good biographies which will satisfy that yearning, but this one has the value of being the story the subject of those books decided to tell in her own way. No doubt it has been subjected to professional editing, but, nonetheless, its text shows every sign of being not unlike what she might write to someone not an intimate friend who wanted to know something about her life. Frankly, further details as to just who she 'slept' with and what they did together, are not missed by this reader As Ben Franklin is said to have said..............................Actually sufficient information is conveyed to give a glimpse of what it was like to be the daughter of the Guggenheim who didn't become mega-wealthy, although quite well off compared to 'ordinary folk'. She suggests the number and range of her associations, and also, what she tried to do for the artists to whom, rather early in life, she decided to dedicate her personal and financial efforts to trying to create situations which would allow those she patronized to become better known and more likely to be able to survive as artists. While she had many significant friends and associates, no doubt her NYC gallery, the marriage to Max Ernst, permitting him to escape Hitler by coming to America as husband of a citizen, her collection in Venice and her major financial and social support of Jackson Pollock, will rank most highly in art histories of the period.Rather than finding the prose style primitive, I found it simple and to the point. Obviously, it reflects what she and/or her publisher wanted to put down on paper. It is easy and enlightening reading. Hopefully, the average reader will want to know more and will turn to biographical sources for greater detail and more objective viewpoints. These will not supersede the value of the book

Who was Peggy Guggenheim? Personally, all I had until this read was a vague understanding that as a Guggenheim heir she contributed a lot to the art world. Pretty vague, no? Well, that's a lot more than many contemporary artists will come up with. In fact I mentioned this book to quite a successful modern artist and his response was, "She was pretty crazy, right?"Crazy, not when you read her writing, she wasn't. She had an amazingly open mind about what art is and what it ought to be. Amazing especially because her family, wealthy though it was, hadn't really given her much of an education in it. So I think what we have here is the liberating effect that vast wealth can inspire.I was taken with a kind of simplicity she exudes in her writing. Like a child, she delights in all manner of little things, while simultaneously entertaining the most sophisticated people in the world.She talks about marriages and relationships but never gets too detailed about it. I know her artist daughter Pegeen came to a bad end but as an example, she mentions nothing about her except to say that she collected her work. So, while the book is the interesting there is clearly a lot missing.

While having an interesting life this book is not. Probably if someone else had written it for her it would have been much better

Ms Guggenheim comes across as a superficial dilletante with no particular insight into the lives of the famous people she brushed up against. I can’t believe I read the whole book but I skimmed over parts that were superfluous. I can’t recommend the book

I enjoyed this Peggy Guggenheim memoir. Although brief, it condenses her collection into too few pages. She also foretells of the greed of collectors who buy bc the work is expensive. Her position as a “patron” of artists and their work is refreshing in light of today’s market. I didn’t realize it was her uncle’s collection that is the basis for the Guggenheim Museum in NYC, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright who designed it but died before its opening. She is an incredibly intriguing woman; I’ll look for a biography to learn more...

Guggenheim was an original w/ spot on artistic sense. Her life was almost too interesting to be true..! If you hv any interest in the visual arts, do read…

I thoroughly enjoyed Peggy Guggenheim's, Confessions of an Art Addict. She has introduced me to previously unknown artists as well as into new places to explore throughout the world discussed in her book. I know I will not travel to these places but this world has opened up to me now. I am a retired senior with the time and curiosity to paint and read this wonderful new world I am discovering. I will follow up this book with additional information on the writer's life as well as research some of the artists and view their works. I feel blessed. Kathleen Sullivan

I bought this book because it was cheap and because we were just about to visit the Guggenheim Bilbao. It was a great surprise. Very easy to read and packed with interesting art gossip of the time, Peggy really makes it work and brings to life many of the artists of her time. The palazzo in Venice that holds her collection, is not small at all as opposed to what she says in the book, but we knew that.

Having visited the Guggenheim Collection in Venice I was intrigued to learn more about the lady herself, and this autobiography gave a good, easy to read insight into her life. Also getting the Kindle version was a real bonus.

This is a book by the lady herself detailing her fascinating upbringing and life. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the development of art in the 20th century.

What an amazing woman

Great insight in such a well known fiure but who I knew nothing about.

Peggy Guggenheim has a quite boring, self absorbed way of writing...