Out of This Century: Confessions of an Art Addict

In 1921 Peggy Guggenheim, daughter of rich and prominent parents, came into her fortune and was bored.

She set out for Europe, not meaning to stay there, and fell in with the vanguard of the literary and art worlds.

Gradually, simply by being herself and following her nose, she became celebrated not only for her love affairs with important artists, but also as a major patron and collector of modern art. In 1938 she opened the gallery Guggenheim Jeune in London; in 1942 she opened the gallery Art of This Century in New York; and in 1949, having decided to live in Venice, she moved into the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni where she installed her magnificent collection of modern art, allowing the public access to it three days a week. Since her death the collection has been on permanent view.

This book is Peggy Guggenheim’s own droll, outspoken story of her lite and loves; of her stormy relationships with such men as Max Ernst, Jackson Pollock and Samuel Beckett; of artistic discoveries and the excitement of promoting great work. She saw no need to use a special ‘voice’ when writing, but was as abrupt, quirky, ribald and wry as she was in speech. The result is a wildly entertaining book, which is also the story of an important period in the history of art.