Patrick Marnham

When Paris was the only place to be

For the first half of the 20th century the city proved a mecca for dozens of writers and artists keen to reinvent themselves, says Marie-José Gransard

Gertrude in Stein at home in Paris [Alamy] 
issue 15 August 2020

For more than 100 years Paris has been as much a symbol and a myth as a geographical reality. The enchantment dates back to the end of the 19th century, when ‘le bordel de l’Europe’, in words quoted by Marie-José Gransard, was transformed into ‘la capitale de l’amour’. In Twentieth Century Paris she traces the growth of the community of mostly foreign artists and writers who created this international brand.

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