A History Lesson: It’s 1935 — Bruno Hauptman goes on trial for kidnapping the Lindbergh baby, Elvis Presley is born, Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California, the Works Progress Administration is created, Parker Brothers introduces Monopoly, FDR dedicates the Hoover Dam.
And the Museum of Modern Art — which had opened its doors six years earlier — is ready to mount its first retrospective for any living American artist.
Whom did it choose? Gaston Lachaise, whose sculpture show ran from Jan. 30 through Feb. 15.
I discovered this in a recent Bruce Museum press release about its acquisition of one of the works in the MoMA exhibition: Lachaise’s Man Walking (Portrait of Lincoln Kirstein), which (at left) was cast in 1934.
Kirstein, of course, was a giant of the arts, both visual and dance. He owned this work and wrote the introduction in the exhibition’s catalogue. Later, he gave the sculpture to the School of American Ballet, which he co-founded with George Ballanchine. ABT deaccessioned it in 1989 at Christie’s. Later it was in the hands of Hirshl & Adler and then Bernard Goldberg, who sold it in May at Christie’s, where the Bruce bought it. Fittingly, for it would seem to belong in a public institution.
All of this, except the first paragraph (about 1935), and much more is contained in the Bruce’s press release — a smart thing, as it makes a story that a plain-Jane acquisition announcement for this work may not have. The Bruce also listed “additional recommended reading” at the bottom of the release, another good idea, even if the listings are picked up by just a few. Have a look.
Photo Credit: Courtesy Bruce Museum