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Lot Essay
Gabrielle, surnommée Gaby, fut passagèrement la maîtresse de Blaise Cendrars. Marié à Féla Poznanska, jeune étudiante russo-polonaise rencontrée en 1907 à l'université de Berne, le poète traverse, depuis son amputation une période trouble et tente de trouver le réconfort dans les bras de la jeune picarde de vingt ans, tout juste installée à Paris et servant de modèle aux artistes. Elle lui a été présentée par t'Serstevens qui la décrivit en ces termes : "Un minois de chatte, le corps élégant, un peu androgyne, elle gagnait ses croûtes en posant pour les peintres de Montparnasse, notamment dans l'atelier d'Angel Zarraga, ce mexicain de Paris qu'Apollinaire surnommait l'Ange du Cubisme" (cité in M. Cendrars, Blaise Cendras, le Vie, le Verbe, l'Ecriture, Denoël, Paris, 2006, p. 344). Gaby accompagne souvent Cendrars dans les soirées, et connaît bien Modigliani. Ce dernier exécute le présent portrait dédicacé, Fidèle à la description de t'Serstevens, et l'ore à son ami poète. Plus amante que compagne officielle, Gaby, éperdument amoureuse, déplore de ne jamais être vue en public avec Blaise. Ce sera un peu grâce à Modigliani que son voeu sera exaucé en mai 1917 : pour la première du célèbre ballet Parade, écrit par Jean Cocteau, dont la musique fut composée par Erik Satie et les décors dessinés par Pablo Picasso, Cendrars accepte enfin que Gaby l'accompagne. Il lui confie pour qu'elle le remette au couturier Paul Poiret, afin qu'il lui confectionne une tenue de soirée, une étonnante monnaie d'échange : le portrait à l'huile que Modigliani a peint de lui quelques semaines plus tôt.
Gabrielle, known as Gaby, was briefly Blaise Cendrars's mistress. Although the poet was married to Féla Poznanska, a young Russo-Polish student he met in 1907 at the university
of Berne, he went through a troubled period following his amputation and sought comfort in the arms of the 20-year old from Picardy, who had just moved to Paris and was working as an artist's model. She was introduced to him by t'Serstevens who described her as follows: "A
little face like a cat, elegant body, slightly androgynous,she earned a living posing for painters in Montparnasse,especially in the studio of Angel Zarraga, that Parisian Mexican who Apollinaire nicknamed the Angel of Cubism" (quoted in M. Cendrars, Blaise Cendrars, La Vie, Le Verbe, L'Ecriture, Denoël, Paris, 2006, p. 344). Gaby often spent time with Cendrars in the evening and knew Modigliani well. Modigliani dedicated this portrait, which is faithful to the description given by t'Serstevens, and presented it to his friend the poet. More a lover than an offcial companion, Gaby, who was deeply in love, hated never being seen in public with Blaise. It was to some extent thanks to Modigliani that her wish was fulfilled in 1917 when, at the première of the famous ballet Parade, written by Cocteau, with music composed by Satie and set designed by Picasso, Cendrars finally agreed to let Gaby accompany him. He gave her something astonishing with which to pay the dressmaker Paul Poiret who was to make her an evening dress - the oil portrait which Modigliani had painted of her a few weeks earlier.
Gabrielle, known as Gaby, was briefly Blaise Cendrars's mistress. Although the poet was married to Féla Poznanska, a young Russo-Polish student he met in 1907 at the university
of Berne, he went through a troubled period following his amputation and sought comfort in the arms of the 20-year old from Picardy, who had just moved to Paris and was working as an artist's model. She was introduced to him by t'Serstevens who described her as follows: "A
little face like a cat, elegant body, slightly androgynous,she earned a living posing for painters in Montparnasse,especially in the studio of Angel Zarraga, that Parisian Mexican who Apollinaire nicknamed the Angel of Cubism" (quoted in M. Cendrars, Blaise Cendrars, La Vie, Le Verbe, L'Ecriture, Denoël, Paris, 2006, p. 344). Gaby often spent time with Cendrars in the evening and knew Modigliani well. Modigliani dedicated this portrait, which is faithful to the description given by t'Serstevens, and presented it to his friend the poet. More a lover than an offcial companion, Gaby, who was deeply in love, hated never being seen in public with Blaise. It was to some extent thanks to Modigliani that her wish was fulfilled in 1917 when, at the première of the famous ballet Parade, written by Cocteau, with music composed by Satie and set designed by Picasso, Cendrars finally agreed to let Gaby accompany him. He gave her something astonishing with which to pay the dressmaker Paul Poiret who was to make her an evening dress - the oil portrait which Modigliani had painted of her a few weeks earlier.