Saturday, June 26, 2010

Respiration In Reptiles Vs. Mammals

René Blum (1878 - 1942) Philip Dada

René Blum's life still remains the most misunderstood. His name appears little (and sometimes does not) in the biographies devoted to Leon Blum. The painting does not do it justice, especially as many particulars concerning him are wrong. Only eight years after his death a collection of stories will be published as a special issue printed in 1200 copies, the magazine Arts and Crafts Graphics . In compiling my file quickly René Blum, I extracted a few dates and photographs of the man whose name is forever tied to that of the Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo, "this unique being who was loved by all who have approached and adored by all his family. " (1)

born in Paris March 13, 1878, by René Blum-Moses, in the second arrondissement of Paris, six years after his brother Leon.

1912: René Blum wrote the foreword to the catalog of the Salon de la Section d'Or in Paris (10-30 October 1912)

held at the Galerie La Boétie. The catalog lists three lectures including one scheduled for Friday, October 25 "by Mr. Blum (Leo) René." (The name Leo is mentioned and deleted in the transcript on which I lean). (2) Note that among painters exposed and in the catalog, six are signatories L'Oeil cacodylate : Marcel Duchamp, Jean Metzinger, Francis Picabia, Georges-Ribemont Dessaignes, Dunoyer de Segonzac and Henry Valensi. René Blum's name also appears (after that of Gabrielle Buffet) in the list of employees of the special issue of October 9, 1912 dedicated to the exhibition.

1913: In late February, Marcel Proust wrote to him to express his willingness to publish self-published by Grasset. Blum will be the intermediary with the publisher and Swann will be available in November of that year. ["But, my dear friend, I'm very sick, I need for certainty and repose. If Mr. Grasset publishes the book at his own expense, he will read it, I will wait, I will propose changes to small volumes, etc.. And will result in terms of success. But I'm looking rather the clear presentation of my work. What I mean is that in a week you can tell me it's a done deal, your book published at such date. And this is possible only by paying the edition. "]

1923: From Bagneres-de-Luchon, August 8, René Blum wrote a letter to Francis Picabia (funds Doucet).

1924-1925: he shall direct the Season of Comedy and Operetta Theatre de Monte Carlo. [Source: special issue of the journal Arts and Crafts Graphics on René Blum, Nov. 1950].

This branch will last until 1932. [Source: René Blum funds of the Department of Performing Arts, National Library of France].

1926: The Great Society Institutions Touquet it proposes to ensure the artistic direction of Casinos. A short paper published in a recent local newspaper says that René Blum occupy this place for six years.

1932: Les Ballets Russes, based in 1909 by Serge Diaghilev, reborn under the name Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo (fusion of Ballet de l'Opera de Monte Carlo Ballet and the Russian Opera Paris).

The troupe is led by Colonel de Basil (whose real name Vasily Grigorievich Woskresensky) and René Blum (art direction). Publication of the room The Loves of the Poet written in collaboration with Georges Delaquys, Little Picture (Drama), No. 292 of 27 February.

René Blum circa 1930

1934: Les Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo on the brink of bankruptcy, says an article in English. Sol Hurok, impresario U.S., save for a time the programming training at the St. James Theatre and the Metropolitan Opera House

under the name Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. However, after a photograph of funds from the National Library of Australia shows a colonel impresario Sol Hurok and accompanied the troupe in 1933 ...

Ballets Russes de Monte Carlo. Representation of Don Juan . 1936

1936: Colonel de Basil and René Blum cease their collaboration.

René Blum circa 1930

René Blum, New York, March 1940

1940: René Blum arrived in New York on March 4 aboard the SS Washington.

1941: December 12. The German officer Otto von Stülpnagel ordered the roundup so-called "notables." René Blum was arrested at his home in Paris (55 Avenue Bugeaud, 16th arrondissement) and interned in several camps French. It starts from the Drancy (train No. 36) September 23, 1942 to the extermination camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. There is murdered by the Germans September 28, 1942. [Source: Official Gazette of the French Republic, 10.2.1987, p. 11519].

(1) Letter from J. Lancrey-Javal (niece of Rene Blum), the ballerina Rosella Hightower, circa 1955 (coll. F. Lefaix).

(2) See the exhibition catalog The Golden Section 1912-1920-1925. Cubism quartered , dir. Cecile Debray and Françoise Lucbert, Chateauroux and Museums Musee Fabre, Montpellier / Editions Cercle d'Art, 2000 278 ff .

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