Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A = Apollinaire, Guillaume - 2014 A to Z Blog Challenge

ART: Artists, Art Trivia, Art Legends

A glimpse of the ART world, in the manner of an alphabetical mini-art tour. ART focuses on my selection of the artists and the art style movements from the end of the 1800's and into the first half of the 1900's. There are a few exceptions.



G. Apollinaire, 1914, Art Critic, Poet, Writer - WC-PD*


A = Apollinaire, Guillaume
1880 –1918


Wilhelm Albert Wlodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki was born a Russian subject in Rome, and spoke French as well as several other languages. He emigrated to France in his teens and changed his name to Guillaume Apollinaire. As a French poet, playwright, short story writer, novelist, and art critic, he was in a prime position to become friends with many artists of the time.

An important poet of the early 20th century, he is considered one of the forefathers of surrealist plays. He is credited with coining the word 'surrealism' in the program notes for a ballet first performed on May 18, 1917. Active as a journalist, Apollinaire was an art critic for the Matin, Intransigeant, and Paris Journal.


Friend of Picasso

Apollinaire was arrested and jailed in September 1911 on suspicion of aiding and abetting the theft of the Mona Lisa, and a number of Egyptian statuettes from the Louvre. He was released a week later, but in the process he implicated his friend, Pablo Picasso. After questioning, Picasso was also exonerated. Vincenzo Peruggia, to whom Apollinaire gave shelter, had committed the thefts. Apollinaire also returned a number of stolen statuettes that were left behind by Peruggia.


Victim of the Flu Pandemic

Apollinaire fought in WWI until he suffered a serious shrapnel wound to the temple in 1916. He would never fully recover from this injury. During the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, he died at the young age of 38. He is buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

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Have you ever heard of Apollinaire? Did you know of the thefts from the Louvre? Are you ready for this month of A to Z madness?

Please share in the comments, to let me know you were here. I'll respond. Thanks for visiting!

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Brought to you by the A to Z Blog Challenge 2014 Team and the originator: Lee of Tossing it Out. Click the A to Z list of participants and read on. Hope to see you again throughout the blogfest.



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References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guillaume_Apollinaire Wiki about G. Apollinaire

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Image Credit - G. Apollinaire, 1914

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