Why a Booktrail?
1929: The fictionalised account of the life of Lee Miller and Man Ray
The Age of Light
What you need to know before your trail
One cool day in 1929, Lee Miller arrives in bohemian Paris to pursue her dream of being an artist, having left behind a successful modelling career at Vogue. Gorgeous and talented, she catches the eye of renowned Surrealist artist Man Ray and convinces him to hire her as his assistant. Man is an egotistical, charismatic force, and soon their personal and professional lives become intimately entwined.
As Lee begins to assert herself, and moves from being a muse to an artist, Man’s jealousy spirals out of control, and their mutual betrayals threaten to destroy them both . . .
Locations
Reset- France - Biarritz
- H: Rocher de la Vierge
- I: Grand Plage
- England - London
- J: Hampstead
- K: Vogue Magazine
- L: Institute of Contemporary Arts
- Germany
- M: Leipzig
- N: Dachau
Travel Guide
The Paris of Man Ray and Lee Miller
Man Ray was actually born Emmanuel Radnitzky on August 27, 1890 (Died November 18, 1976) . He was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris and was a contributor to the Dada and Surrealist movements.
Elizabeth “Lee” Miller
Elizabeth “Lee” Miller was born on April 23, 1907 and died on July 21, 1977. She was an American photographer and photojournalis and worked as a model which she also continued to do when in Paris.
It was her role during the Second World War, however that is particylarly well evoked in the novel – she was a war correspondent for Vogue, and covered events such as London Blitz, the liberation of Paris, and the concentration camps of Dachau.
Paris – the city of art…or…
“A city built on the concept of form over function”
It’s in July 1921 when Man Ray goes to live and work in Paris. The area of Montparnasse quarter favored by many artists:
Lee Miller’s Paris:
“When she walks through Montparnasse, her new neighbourhood, no one
catches her eye, no one turns around to watch her pass, Instead lee seems to be just another detail in a city where almost evening is artfully arranged.
pays much attention to Lee’s beauty”
Man Ray’s first love in Paris was the model Kiki de Montparnasse (Alice Prin), and appeared in many of his pictures and films such as Le Retour à la Raison and L’Étoile de mer. The book picks up in 1929,when he meets the Surrealist photographer Lee Miller and then after they separate in 1932….
Booktrail Boarding Pass: The Age of Light
Destination : Paris, London, Biarritz, Germany Author/Guide: Whitney Scharer Departure Time: 1929 onwards
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