As a boy in Springfield, Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, I recall that the aunt of a family friend once mentioned that she had met Mark Twain in San Francisco. How amazing, I thought, to know someone who had known someone who was that famous!
When it comes to GertrudeandAlice, they met lots and lots of famous people and lots and lots of not so famous people. Many of them flocked to rue de Fleurus, rue Christine and their country place near Bilignin while others got to know them on their travels.
It’s been said that there have probably been more people who have written about meeting GertrudeandAlice than have written about encounters with any other well-known 20th century personalities. They were a very sociable couple.
Who doesn’t know about some of the key players in their circle – Cézanne, Picasso, Matisse, Braque, Gris, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Pound, Wilder, and Van Vechten?