"Misia: The Life of Misia Sert" a biography by Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale (Knopf, 1980)

April 29, 2023

Superb biography on Misia Sert, a wealthy iconic model and a supporter of artists Renoir, Vuillard, Bonnard, and Toulouse-Lautrec. Wherever she sat, it seemed she was the magnet or in the presence of greatness in the art world. She knew everyone, from writers to artists to composers to close designers, and everyone seemed to want her support and friendship. I can't think of a better book on European art from the 19th century to World War II when things fell apart in the art world.

"Misia" is written by Arthur Gold and Robert Fizdale, so I picked this book up. In my vinyl hunting, I have found two fabulous albums by Gold and Fizdale, who play duo pianos and focus on early 20th-century music, specifically the excellent Paul Bowles. Gold/Fizdale, a gay couple, seems to be at the very heart of the boho music world of the 1940s and 1950s Manhattan world. Besides writing this remarkable biography (1980), they also had a local New York City cooking show.

"Misia" is brilliantly told through various letters and journals by those in Ms. Sert's social world, as well as her letters to such cultural icons as Jean Cocteau and her best friend Serge Diaghilev, whose personality comes out gloriously in these pages. Cocteau was a hustler for his work, and Diaghilev was a hardcore hustler for his vision of ballet and combining the most exceptional talents in art, music, and dance in one space and on one stage. Misia also helped a young Coco Chanel start her world as a fashion goddess, and they may or may not have been lovers. The book is a gossip's dream of classic scandal on everyone from Marcel Proust to Erik Satie. It's fascinating that I know all the participants except for Misia Sert! There are people like her who were extremely important for any scene to get started, and she was the finance/friend that kept the ball rolling - especially to someone who was a combination of financial ruin and mess, such as Diaghilev.

The book is full of bitchy witticisms and an essential title for anyone who even has the 'slightest' interest in art culture from those times. Also, I’m afraid that the book is out of print. But you can find a copy online, or better yet, use the Library system.