Peggy Guggenheim in London The Making of a Collector

The never-before-told story of Peggy Guggenheim's formation as a gallerist, collector and patron of the avant-garde, amply illustrated with artworks and archival materials

A groundbreaking work of art historical scholarship, The Making of a Collector is the first-ever volume dedicated to Peggy Guggenheim's experience as a burgeoning art collector in London, culminating in the opening of her first gallery, the Guggenheim Jeune. Over the course of 18 months, from January 1938 through June 1939, the gallery was a beacon for the avant-garde movements of the era, hosting over 20 exhibitions, including Vasily Kandinsky's first solo show in London and a monographic exhibition of work by Jean Cocteau. This volume elucidates her network of influential friends--from Marcel Duchamp to Samuel Beckett and Mary Reynolds--who helped shape her vision and showcases key works from her pioneering exhibitions alongside similar works from the same period by artists such as Eileen Agar, Salvador Dalí, Barbara Hepworth, Rita Kernn-Larsen, Piet Mondrian, Henry Moore, Cedric Morris and Sophie Taeuber-Arp. Replete with archival material, the book bears testimony to the period of intense experimentation and cultural vibrancy leading up to World War II.
A self-described "art addict," Peggy Guggenheim (1898-1979) was an American art collector who helped establish Cubism and Surrealism through gallery shows on both sides of the Atlantic. Her collections are now held by the Guggenheim Foundation.