Beauford and Marian Anderson
Beauford loved Marian Anderson and her music. He captured her likeness in many sketches and paintings, including a portrait painted in 1965.
Marian Anderson
(1965) Oil on canvas
Photo from Harvard Gazette Archives
In 1956, he heard her perform in a "thrilling concert"* in Paris.
Anderson performed Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler at this event. She sang in German, accompanied by the French National Radio Orchestra, at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées on November 22nd. The conductor of the orchestra was Jascha Horenstein.
Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
© Discover Paris!
While I have not been able to access any excerpts of the recording made of this concert, I was able to find a YouTube recording of Anderson performing the same music accompanied by the San Francisco Orchestra in 1950. Click here to listen!
*Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, by David Leeming
Marian Anderson
(1965) Oil on canvas
Photo from Harvard Gazette Archives
In 1956, he heard her perform in a "thrilling concert"* in Paris.
Anderson performed Kindertotenlieder by Gustav Mahler at this event. She sang in German, accompanied by the French National Radio Orchestra, at the Théatre des Champs-Elysées on November 22nd. The conductor of the orchestra was Jascha Horenstein.
Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
© Discover Paris!
While I have not been able to access any excerpts of the recording made of this concert, I was able to find a YouTube recording of Anderson performing the same music accompanied by the San Francisco Orchestra in 1950. Click here to listen!
*Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, by David LeemingBeauford and Mary Painter
Les Amis de Beauford Delaney recently received the wonderful gift of a copy of James Baldwin's Going to Meet the Man that contains a handwritten dedication from Beauford to his dear friend Mary Painter. Many thanks to Catherine Manini for donating the book to Les Amis as a result of her search for information about Beauford and Baldwin.
***********
One of Beauford's best friends in Paris was Mary Painter. She was an American economist who worked on the Marshall Plan after World War II and at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, among other places. Beauford met her because of her friendship with James Baldwin. Beauford met Painter in 1953 on his first full day in Paris - the day that Baldwin saw Beauford walking along boulevard Saint Germain in front of the Café de Flore. Baldwin was at the Flore having a drink with Painter at the time.
Paris - Café de Flore
ca. 1950 © Roger-Viollet
Painter was present at memorable moments in Beauford's life in Paris. For example, she attended the party held at Beauford's studio at the Hôtel des Ecoles in December 1955, after which the hotel's owner accused Beauford of putting up a guest without paying. This incident led to Beauford's move to Clamart, and he called upon Painter to help him pack. She was in Paris at the time that Beauford was mourning the death of his mother in 1958, and invited Beauford to spend as much time at her apartment as he wished. Beauford visited London for the first time with Painter in December 1963.
It seems fitting, therefore, that Beauford would give a copy of the London publication of James Baldwin's book Going to Meet the Man to Mary as a Christmas gift. Baldwin dedicated the novel to Beauford, and Beauford wrote a personal dedication to Painter in the copy that he gave to her.
Book images courtesy of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
Beauford's friends Bernard Hassell and Richard Olney lived in Solliès-Toucas, a town near Toulon, in the early 1960s. Painter accompanied Beauford on a visit there in 1963, and would move there herself ten years later. Beauford produces an abstract painting called Solliès-Toucas in 1963. It is now held by Aaron Galleries in Glenview, IL (near Chicago).
Solliès Toucas
(Beauford's gift to Roy Freeman)
(1963) Oil on canvas
Image courtesy of Roy Freeman
One of Beauford's best friends in Paris was Mary Painter. She was an American economist who worked on the Marshall Plan after World War II and at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, among other places. Beauford met her because of her friendship with James Baldwin. Beauford met Painter in 1953 on his first full day in Paris - the day that Baldwin saw Beauford walking along boulevard Saint Germain in front of the Café de Flore. Baldwin was at the Flore having a drink with Painter at the time.
Paris - Café de Flore
ca. 1950 © Roger-Viollet
Painter was present at memorable moments in Beauford's life in Paris. For example, she attended the party held at Beauford's studio at the Hôtel des Ecoles in December 1955, after which the hotel's owner accused Beauford of putting up a guest without paying. This incident led to Beauford's move to Clamart, and he called upon Painter to help him pack. She was in Paris at the time that Beauford was mourning the death of his mother in 1958, and invited Beauford to spend as much time at her apartment as he wished. Beauford visited London for the first time with Painter in December 1963.
It seems fitting, therefore, that Beauford would give a copy of the London publication of James Baldwin's book Going to Meet the Man to Mary as a Christmas gift. Baldwin dedicated the novel to Beauford, and Beauford wrote a personal dedication to Painter in the copy that he gave to her.
Book images courtesy of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
Beauford's friends Bernard Hassell and Richard Olney lived in Solliès-Toucas, a town near Toulon, in the early 1960s. Painter accompanied Beauford on a visit there in 1963, and would move there herself ten years later. Beauford produces an abstract painting called Solliès-Toucas in 1963. It is now held by Aaron Galleries in Glenview, IL (near Chicago).
Solliès Toucas
(Beauford's gift to Roy Freeman)
(1963) Oil on canvas
Image courtesy of Roy Freeman
Beauford's Paris: Notre Dame Cathedral and Fauré's Requiem
Beauford lost his mother in February 1958 and mourned her death well into the month of May. According to his biography, Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney, he heard Gabriel Fauré's Requiem performed at Notre Dame Cathedral and began to consider it a requiem for her.
Notre Dame Cathedral
© Discover Paris!
Click here* to listen to the Paris Orchestra and the Choir of the Paris Orchestra perform this magnificent work.
*Free of charge after watching the advertisement
, he heard Gabriel Fauré's Requiem performed at Notre Dame Cathedral and began to consider it a requiem for her.
© Discover Paris!
Click here* to listen to the Paris Orchestra and the Choir of the Paris Orchestra perform this magnificent work.
*Free of charge after watching the advertisement
Clamart: Beauford's Suburban Paris Home
In his introduction for Beauford's 1964 exposition at the Gallery Lambert in Paris, James Baldwin wrote:
. It stands at the top of a hill, a few doors away from the five-point roundabout at place Marquis and nestled between two other free-standing dwellings behind a stone wall.
68, rue Paul Vaillant Couturier, Clamart
© Discover Paris!
In any case, from Tennessee, he eventually came to Paris (I have the impression that he walked and swam) and for awhile lived in a suburb of Paris, Clamart...I visited the city of Clamart earlier this week to find this house, the address of which—68, rue Paul Vaillant Couturier—is indicated in Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
There was a window in Beauford's house in Clamart before which we often sat—late at night, early in the morning, at noon. This window looked out on a garden; or rather, it would have looked out on a garden if it had not been for the leaves and branches of a large tree which pressed directly against the window.
Everything one saw from this window, then, was filtered through these leaves...
. It stands at the top of a hill, a few doors away from the five-point roundabout at place Marquis and nestled between two other free-standing dwellings behind a stone wall.
© Discover Paris!
Biographer David A. Leeming tells us that the apartment was on the ground floor and that the window looked onto a garden in the back of the house. Though I was unable to enter the property at No. 68, I was able to see part of a garden behind a gate a few doors down the street; perhaps its appearance approximates what Beauford and Baldwin saw through Beauford's window:
© Discover Paris!
Beauford lived in Clamart from 1956 until late 1961-early 1962. I have been unable to find any photos of the area, or of the city in general, that date from this period. However, many of the buildings in the immediate vicinity appear to be old enough to have existed then.
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Significant renovation of such buildings is ongoing in the area, so at least some of the character of the neighborhood is being preserved.
The bar-tabac-brasserie Le Narval, on the other hand, has no genteel architectural features. It is located at 72, rue Paul Vaillant Couturier, on the corner with rue des Rochers and place Marquis.
© Discover Paris!
Beauford's home was ideally situated in that he was only a few blocks from the center of town and only two blocks from the forest called Bois de Clamart. Leeming tells us that he called it his "place in the country."
Today, small private lanes,
© Discover Paris!
wisteria tumbling gracefully over stone walls,
© Discover Paris!
and dazzling flower beds in public areas
© Discover Paris!
preserve a bit of the country atmosphere that Beauford enjoyed during his time there.
More on Beauford's Paris: Ile Saint-Louis
Prompted by last week's posting on Beauford's Paris: Ile Saint-Louis, Beauford's dear friend Burt Reinfrank confirmed that the building that I photographed for the article is indeed the one where James Jones and his family lived on Ile Saint-Louis. Here's a better photo of it:
10, quai d'Orléans
© Discover Paris!
Entrance to 10, quai d'Orléans at 2, rue Budé
© Discover Paris!
Burt and James Jones were on the board of the American Center. Burt commented that Beauford was frequently a guest at the Jones' home for Sunday afternoon pasta. Jones' wife Gloria had the custom of making pasta on Sundays and the couple would have an open house of sorts, inviting numerous people over to enjoy the food and camaraderie.
Burt affirmed Jones' love of Beauford's paintings and told me how Jones arranged to have Life Magazine photograph him in Beauford's rue Vercingétorix studio in an effort to give Beauford some publicity.
Composite of photo from August 4, 1967 Life Magazine article
Photographer: Loomis Dean
Thanks Burt, for contributing yet another anecdote to the Les Amis blog!
© Discover Paris!
© Discover Paris!
Burt and James Jones were on the board of the American Center. Burt commented that Beauford was frequently a guest at the Jones' home for Sunday afternoon pasta. Jones' wife Gloria had the custom of making pasta on Sundays and the couple would have an open house of sorts, inviting numerous people over to enjoy the food and camaraderie.
Burt affirmed Jones' love of Beauford's paintings and told me how Jones arranged to have Life Magazine photograph him in Beauford's rue Vercingétorix studio in an effort to give Beauford some publicity.
Photographer: Loomis Dean
Thanks Burt, for contributing yet another anecdote to the Les Amis blog!
Beauford's Paris: Ile Saint-Louis
© Discover Paris!
American writer James Jones and his family lived in an apartment building on quai'd'Orléans, Ile Saint-Louis from 1958-1975. James Baldwin introduced him to Beauford in Paris in 1958. According to David A. Leeming's biography Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, the Joneses became so fond of Beauford that they eventually gave him a key to their apartment and invited him over frequently. They also commissioned several paintings from him. Jones supported his application for a Fairfield Foundation grant in 1964 and gave Beauford a tribute at his October 1964 one-man show at the Galerie Lambert (no longer in existence) at number 14 on the island's main thoroughfare, rue Saint-Louis en l'Ile. Five years later, Jones would comment at another of Beauford's shows that he was "the complete artist, not just in the medium of paint but in the medium of life."
© Discover Paris!
Most of the information that I have found about the Jones' abode indicates that it was located at 10, quai d'Orléans. One story published by the James Jones Literary Society indicates that the Joneses lived on the second floor. As I walked along the quay yesterday, I decided to look for the building and take a photo of the place where Beauford spent so much time over the years. Curiously, I found no edifice that bears the number 10 on its façade.
Because of a description in Frommer's Paris from $95 a Day, which indicates that the Joneses lived on the corner of rue Budé and quai d'Orléans, I must assume that the "round cornered" building pictured below is indeed the place. (12, quai d'Orléans is plainly indicated on the façade of the building on the opposite corner of the intersection.)
© Discover Paris!
The corner windows in this building overlook the Seine, where the Joneses and their visitors - including Beauford - enjoyed a view of pont Saint-Louis and the flying buttresses at the rear of Notre Dame Cathedral.
Fix Me Jesus: Beauford's Solace in December 1953
December 30, 1901
************
In December 1953, Beauford and the rest of the citizens of Paris were experiencing one of the coldest winters on record. According to David Leeming's biography entitled Amazing Grace: A Life of Beauford Delaney
, Beauford tried to keep warm in his freezing room at the Hôtel des Ecoles by wrapping himself in a blanket. He wrote notes to himself to keep his inner voices of "paranoia and depression" at bay, and often copied the lyrics of blues songs and spirituals into his journal. One that he particularly favored was "Fix Me Jesus."The video below shows two dancers from the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in a moving interpretation of this song from the show Revelations. I think that Beauford would have loved the colors and the lighting of the set, as well as the voices that render this performance so powerful.
from Les Amis de Beauford Delaney!
More on Beauford's Last Studio - Rue Vercingétorix
You may recall that I published a posting about Beauford's last studio, which was located at 53, rue Vercingétorix in Paris' 14th arrondissement, last year. (Click here to see photos of the neighborhood in its current state as well as photos of the interior of the studio and Beauford and Henry Miller in the courtyard outside.)
I have finally found a photo of the façade of the building that was located at this address!
53, rue Vercingétorix
Photo by Nicholas Breach
The Streets of Paris by Richard Cobb (1980) Pantheon Books
According to Beauford's dear friend Burt Reinfrank, Beauford's studio overlooked a schoolyard. The photo below may represent that same schoolyard.
Abandoned School, rue Vercingétorix
Photo by Nicholas Breach
The Streets of Paris by Richard Cobb (1980) Pantheon Books
Rue Vercingétorix was part of what used to be known as the quartier de Gergovie, which was originally settled by immigrants from Brittany. The photos shown above were taken during the 1970s, at a time when the neighborhood was in steep decline. This was the state of affairs during Beauford's last years there.
I have finally found a photo of the façade of the building that was located at this address!
Photo by Nicholas Breach
The Streets of Paris by Richard Cobb (1980) Pantheon Books
According to Beauford's dear friend Burt Reinfrank, Beauford's studio overlooked a schoolyard. The photo below may represent that same schoolyard.
Photo by Nicholas Breach
The Streets of Paris by Richard Cobb (1980) Pantheon Books
Rue Vercingétorix was part of what used to be known as the quartier de Gergovie, which was originally settled by immigrants from Brittany. The photos shown above were taken during the 1970s, at a time when the neighborhood was in steep decline. This was the state of affairs during Beauford's last years there.
Beauford's Last Studio - Rue Vercingétorix
On Thursday, October 14th, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney will celebrate Beauford with a commemorative ceremony at his newly laid tombstone at Thiais Cemetery, followed by a reception co-sponsored by the American Embassy at the George C. Marshall Center in Paris. If you have received an invitation, but have not yet sent your RSVP to the Embassy, please do so as soon as possible. The final guest list must be submitted 72 hours prior to the event!
Beauford's last studio was located at 53, rue Vercingétorix, 75014 Paris. He moved there in 1961, after being released from a psychiatric clinic in Nogent-sur-Marne. Solange du Closel and her husband, who were avid supporters of Beauford, purchased the atelier in their name and reserved it for Beauford's use once he was able to live on his own again.
In Beauford's biography Amazing Grace, author David Leeming describes the atelier as "a large room with a huge window admitting south light," and mentions that "there was also the luxury of a 'shower bath.'" Beauford covered everything with white sheets, as he had done in previous studios, to provide his preferred atmosphere for painting.
Fifty-three rue Vercingétorix no longer exists. The photo below presents the neighborhood's current appearance, with the trees standing in the approximate location of Beauford's building:
View of the upper story at 53, rue Vercingétorix
There are many amusing anecdotes about Beauford and his life at the Vercingétorix studio. In Amazing Grace, Leeming recounts a story about Beauford's refrigerator. He says that Beauford bought it with money that he received from a Fairfield Foundation grant for $3500 in 1964, and that he used it as a storage cabinet!
Burt Reinfrank has shared several anecdotes for this blog, some of which have already been published here. Ed Clark shared one, which I published in last week's posting entitled "Ed Clark Remembers Beauford." I will publish additional anecdotes from Burt and others over the next several weeks.
*******
Beauford's last studio was located at 53, rue Vercingétorix, 75014 Paris. He moved there in 1961, after being released from a psychiatric clinic in Nogent-sur-Marne. Solange du Closel and her husband, who were avid supporters of Beauford, purchased the atelier in their name and reserved it for Beauford's use once he was able to live on his own again.
In Beauford's biography Amazing Grace
, author David Leeming describes the atelier as "a large room with a huge window admitting south light," and mentions that "there was also the luxury of a 'shower bath.'" Beauford covered everything with white sheets, as he had done in previous studios, to provide his preferred atmosphere for painting.Fifty-three rue Vercingétorix no longer exists. The photo below presents the neighborhood's current appearance, with the trees standing in the approximate location of Beauford's building:
Rue Vercingétorix
© Discover Paris!
By the early to mid 1970s, Beauford's neighborhood had become so run down that the city began demolishing it. Beauford's biography indicates that Madame du Closel interceded with friends in the government to allow Beauford to stay in his apartment as long as possible. His building was torn down some time after he was hospitalized at Sainte-Anne's in 1975.
Henry Miller's 1972 visit with Beauford at rue Vercingétorix was filmed, and rare footage of the exterior and interior of Beauford's lodgings can be seen in the video entitled Henry Miller Odyssey. (Unfortunately, the pertinent segments of the video are not of very good quality.) I snapped some photos of my television screen during the segment:
Beauford and Henry Miller strolling toward Beauford's building
Beauford likely walked past the Notre Dame du Travail church (pictured to the right of the trees above) at Number 59 at least once a day during his stay in the neighborhood. He may also have frequented the Moulin de la Vierge bakery pictured below (now a classified historical site), which is still operating up the street at Number 105.
Boulangerie Le Moulin de la Vierge
© Discover Paris!
By the early to mid 1970s, Beauford's neighborhood had become so run down that the city began demolishing it. Beauford's biography indicates that Madame du Closel interceded with friends in the government to allow Beauford to stay in his apartment as long as possible. His building was torn down some time after he was hospitalized at Sainte-Anne's in 1975.
Henry Miller's 1972 visit with Beauford at rue Vercingétorix was filmed, and rare footage of the exterior and interior of Beauford's lodgings can be seen in the video entitled Henry Miller Odyssey. (Unfortunately, the pertinent segments of the video are not of very good quality.) I snapped some photos of my television screen during the segment:
Henry Miller and Beauford
Buildings at Number 53, rue Vercingétorix
In the video, Henry Miller is shown walking around the apartment and talking about his memory of Beauford painting his portrait when they knew each other in New York. He gestures toward Beauford's stunning portrait of Marian Anderson that is hanging on the wall in the scene below. In one scene of the film, Beauford tells Miller that he can take anything in the apartment that he wants.
Henry Miller in Beauford's studio
There are many amusing anecdotes about Beauford and his life at the Vercingétorix studio. In Amazing Grace, Leeming recounts a story about Beauford's refrigerator. He says that Beauford bought it with money that he received from a Fairfield Foundation grant for $3500 in 1964, and that he used it as a storage cabinet!
Burt Reinfrank has shared several anecdotes for this blog, some of which have already been published here. Ed Clark shared one, which I published in last week's posting entitled "Ed Clark Remembers Beauford." I will publish additional anecdotes from Burt and others over the next several weeks.
Beauford's Ocean Voyage to Paris
Fifty-seven years ago today, Beauford set sail for France on the SS Liberté.
I googled the ship’s name and was pleasantly surprised to find lots of interesting information about it! I also found photos that depict the accommodations that Beauford (and fellow artist Herb Gentry) experienced aboard ship.
The Liberté was first christened as the SS Europa. It was a German ocean liner that made transatlantic voyages in five days. Captured by the Americans during World War II, the ship was given to France as part of the reparations that the defeated German nation was forced to pay.
The Europa was repainted in French colors and towed to Le Havre for refitting. It was renovated as a luxury passenger-liner, and was destined to replace France’s pride and joy, the SS Normandie, which was a casualty of the war. The refitting suffered two great setbacks. First, a violent storm wrenched the ship from its berth, causing it to collide with a partially submerged vessel in the harbor. This caused the Europa to sink. It was refloated several months later, towed to Saint Nazaire, and refurbished. A dock fire almost destroyed the ship there in 1949.
Once the fire was extinguished, work on the ship resumed at a feverish pace. Under the auspices of France’s Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT), the newly renamed SS Liberté finally set sail on its maiden voyage to New York City in 1950.
The vessel was quite luxurious, and was the pride of France’s passenger fleet for many years.
African Americans reportedly preferred sailing on French liners because they were better treated aboard these ships than on the rival Cunard British liners and on U.S. ships. Sarah Vaughn and W. E. B. and Shirley DuBois are among many African Americans who made the transatlantic voyage to Europe on the Liberté.
Click here to watch a home video made by passengers on the Liberté (exact date of film unknown).
The Liberté was taken out of service in 1961, with its farewell voyage departing New York and docking in Le Havre. In January 1962, it sailed for Italy, where it was scrapped.
Beauford on the deck of the SS Liberté
Photo from David Leeming’s Amazing Grace
I googled the ship’s name and was pleasantly surprised to find lots of interesting information about it! I also found photos that depict the accommodations that Beauford (and fellow artist Herb Gentry) experienced aboard ship.
The Liberté was first christened as the SS Europa. It was a German ocean liner that made transatlantic voyages in five days. Captured by the Americans during World War II, the ship was given to France as part of the reparations that the defeated German nation was forced to pay.
The Europa was repainted in French colors and towed to Le Havre for refitting. It was renovated as a luxury passenger-liner, and was destined to replace France’s pride and joy, the SS Normandie, which was a casualty of the war. The refitting suffered two great setbacks. First, a violent storm wrenched the ship from its berth, causing it to collide with a partially submerged vessel in the harbor. This caused the Europa to sink. It was refloated several months later, towed to Saint Nazaire, and refurbished. A dock fire almost destroyed the ship there in 1949.
Once the fire was extinguished, work on the ship resumed at a feverish pace. Under the auspices of France’s Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT), the newly renamed SS Liberté finally set sail on its maiden voyage to New York City in 1950.
Maiden voyage of SS Liberté to NYC
Photo from www.monstersofthesea.com
The vessel was quite luxurious, and was the pride of France’s passenger fleet for many years.
SS Liberté Embarkation Room
Photo from www.monstersofthesea.com
SS Liberté Grand Salon
Photo from www.monstersofthesea.com
Theater on the SS Liberté
Photo from www.cruiselinehistory.com
African Americans reportedly preferred sailing on French liners because they were better treated aboard these ships than on the rival Cunard British liners and on U.S. ships. Sarah Vaughn and W. E. B. and Shirley DuBois are among many African Americans who made the transatlantic voyage to Europe on the Liberté.
Sarah Vaughn on deck on the SS Liberté
Photo from www.cruiselinehistory.com
W. E. B. and Shirley DuBois on board the SS Liberté
Photo from www.cruiselinehistory.com
Click here to watch a home video made by passengers on the Liberté (exact date of film unknown).
The Liberté was taken out of service in 1961, with its farewell voyage departing New York and docking in Le Havre. In January 1962, it sailed for Italy, where it was scrapped.
Beauford's Paris Café Life
From the first days that Beauford arrived in Paris, he enjoyed café life. This posting presents contemporary photos of some of his favorite cafés in Montparnasse and near the Saint Germain district on the Left Bank.
Le Select
La Coupole
Le Select
Le Select
99, boulevard du Montparnasse
75006 Paris
© Discover Paris!
Personal communications from Burt Reinfrank and long time African-American expatriate Tannie Stovall indicate that Beauford was often seen at the Select. He was frequently surrounded by "friends," some of whom were inclined to take advantage of his generous nature and allowed him to pay for food and drink for everyone though he could ill afford it. In Amazing Grace, biographer David Leeming recounts that in Beauford's later years, he would sometimes order large meals here or at Le Dôme (see below) and have no funds to pay the bill. The café owners knew Beauford so well that they would ignore the unpaid bill. At times, a friend of Beauford would cover the charges.
, biographer David Leeming recounts that in Beauford's later years, he would sometimes order large meals here or at Le Dôme (see below) and have no funds to pay the bill. The café owners knew Beauford so well that they would ignore the unpaid bill. At times, a friend of Beauford would cover the charges.The Select was also a favorite of a contemporary African-American artist and friend of Beauford, Ed Clark.
Le Dôme
Le Dôme
108, boulevard du Montparnasse
75014 Paris
© Discover Paris!
David Leeming recounts that on Beauford's first night in Paris, he felt restless and decided to leave his hotel at around 11PM to buy a sandwich. He entered Le Dôme, the first place that he encountered, and was pleasantly surprised to find a painter friend from New York inside. Earl Kirkham was in the company of many other Americans, and Beauford joined them for an evening of merriment. Beauford would return to his hotel at three or four the following morning.
Ed Clark recounted an amusing anecdote about Beauford and the Dôme to me several years ago. He and Beauford once sold paintings to a white American here. After having completed the transaction, he and Beauford sat down to share a few drinks with the buyer. Because the man had been purchasing art all day, he did not have the money to pay his bar tab at the end of the day. Thus he asked Beauford if he would kindly take his paintings back in exchange for the money, which Beauford did.
Beauford's friend Richard Gibson indicates that Beauford was often at Le Dôme.
Beauford's friend Richard Gibson indicates that Beauford was often at Le Dôme.
La Coupole
La Coupole
102, boulevard du Montparnasse
75014 Paris
© Discover Paris!
Gibson also indicates that Beauford and his friends sometimes frequented La Coupole. Though this was the most expensive of the Carrefour Vavin cafés at the time (Le Dôme is by far the most expensive at present), Beauford and friends such as Ed Clark were occasionally able to afford to eat on the left side of the restaurant, which was cheaper than the right side where tables were set with cloth napkins. Michel Fabre and John A. Williams' A Street Guide to African Americans in Paris mentions a happy evening that Beauford spent here in the company of fellow painter Herb Gentry and writer Lindsay Barrett.
Au Petit Suisse and Le Tournon
Au Petit Suisse
16, rue de Vaugirard
75006 Paris
© Discover Paris!
Richard Gibson also recounts that Beauford did not like the Café Tournon, the famous hangout for African-American expats in the post-World War II era. He says that Beauford found it "too macho and not very friendly" the few times that he managed to get Beauford to go there, and that Beauford preferred Au Petit Suisse, which is located across the street from the Odéon Theater and the Luxembourg Garden. The two cafés are still in existence, and are less than a five minute walk apart.
Café Tournon
18, rue de Tournon
75006 Paris
18, rue de Tournon
75006 Paris
© Discover Paris!
In Amazing Grace, David Leeming states that Beauford would sometimes go to the Tournon in the company of James Baldwin and his entourage, and would even go there alone on occasion to engage in philosophical discussions. Richard Wright was a domineering force during these discussions (and not particularly welcoming to gay men), and Leeming indicates that Beauford and Wright were never close.
The Tournon lists Beauford, Ellington, Baldwin, Wright, and other African Americans on the history page of its Web site (in French). There is a vintage photograph of Beauford and Duke Ellington seated at a table in the café that the servers may be willing to show you if you inquire at the bar!
The Tournon lists Beauford, Ellington, Baldwin, Wright, and other African Americans on the history page of its Web site (in French). There is a vintage photograph of Beauford and Duke Ellington seated at a table in the café that the servers may be willing to show you if you inquire at the bar!
Beauford's Eternal Home - Thiais Cemetery
The Parisian Cemetery of Thiais is located in the town of Thiais, which is 10.3 km (6.4 miles) south of Paris. It is the second largest cemetery in the Paris area, and is the most recently opened (1929). Easily reached by public transportation (metro, RER, bus), it has been Beauford’s resting place since 1979.
The cemetery extends over 103.36 hectares (225.4 acres) and contains 130 divisions. Its entrance, created by architect Charles Halley, is described on the Paris.fr Web site as majestic. However, I find it to be heavy, rigid, and uninviting. Among the more well-known people buried there are the Austrian writer Joseph Roth, prince Serge Orloff (descendant of Catherine the Great of Russia), and Léon Sedov, son of Léon Trotsky.
Thiais has a reputation for being a burial ground for the poor. There is an area called the Garden of Fraternity where persons who have few to no resources are buried. These “common terrains” contain individual, prefabricated graves in which persons may be buried for a single, non-renewable period of five years. Though generally used for poor or unidentified persons, anyone may be buried in this section of the cemetery – regardless of financial means – upon request. Thiais’ common terrains are located in Divisions 48-50 and 56-58.
Despite its reputation as a “poor man’s cemetery,” several divisions at Thiais contain elaborate graves.
Beauford’s grave is located in Division 86. Overgrown with weeds when I visited it in July 2009, it was being mown when I returned in September to pay the outstanding fees for Beauford’s concession. Beauford has a “temporary” concession, which is renewable every ten years.
For a detailed article on the cemetery (in French), visit http://www.landrucimetieres.fr/spip/spip.php?article1858. Even if you cannot read French, go to the site to see numerous photos that will give you a good idea of how vast the cemetery is, and show the diverse faiths (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist) of the persons buried there. These photos also provide an excellent indication of what French grave sites look like.
Reminder:
Your contribution of $100 or 100€ to our fund will help us to place a fitting monument at Beauford’s grave. Please send your donation today.
To make a secure contribution online now, click on the "Donate" button in the right margin beneath the photo of Beauford's grave.
Checks (in US dollars) should be made payable to Les Amis de Beauford Delaney and sent to the following address today:
Monique Y. Wells
Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
11503 Sandhurst
Houston, TX 77048
U.S.A.
As president of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney, I would like to personally express my gratitude for your generosity and your support of this important cause! We will inform all contributors of our success once we have reached our goal.
With sincere thanks,
Monique Y. Wells
President, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
P.S. If you are unable to contribute $100 or 100€, but would still like to support us, please consider donating $50, 50€, $25, or 25€ to our cause. If you would like to contribute more than $100 or 100€, please feel free to do so!
Avenue de l'Ouest
Thiais Cemetery
© Discover Paris!
The cemetery extends over 103.36 hectares (225.4 acres) and contains 130 divisions. Its entrance, created by architect Charles Halley, is described on the Paris.fr Web site as majestic. However, I find it to be heavy, rigid, and uninviting. Among the more well-known people buried there are the Austrian writer Joseph Roth, prince Serge Orloff (descendant of Catherine the Great of Russia), and Léon Sedov, son of Léon Trotsky.
Entry to Thiais Cemetery
© Discover Paris!
Thiais has a reputation for being a burial ground for the poor. There is an area called the Garden of Fraternity where persons who have few to no resources are buried. These “common terrains” contain individual, prefabricated graves in which persons may be buried for a single, non-renewable period of five years. Though generally used for poor or unidentified persons, anyone may be buried in this section of the cemetery – regardless of financial means – upon request. Thiais’ common terrains are located in Divisions 48-50 and 56-58.
Despite its reputation as a “poor man’s cemetery,” several divisions at Thiais contain elaborate graves.
Beauford’s grave is located in Division 86. Overgrown with weeds when I visited it in July 2009, it was being mown when I returned in September to pay the outstanding fees for Beauford’s concession. Beauford has a “temporary” concession, which is renewable every ten years.
Signpost for Division 86
© Discover Paris!
For a detailed article on the cemetery (in French), visit http://www.landrucimetieres.fr/spip/spip.php?article1858. Even if you cannot read French, go to the site to see numerous photos that will give you a good idea of how vast the cemetery is, and show the diverse faiths (Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist) of the persons buried there. These photos also provide an excellent indication of what French grave sites look like.
Reminder:
Les Amis de Beauford Delaney is seeking to raise $8500 to cover the cost of the construction and installation of Beauford's tombstone, one year of maintenance of the gravesite, concession fees for the ten year period beginning in 2011, and miscellaneous expenses such as banking fees and postage. Our goal is to have raised this entire amount by 26 March 2010, the 31st anniversary of Beauford’s death.
To make a secure contribution online now, click on the "Donate" button in the right margin beneath the photo of Beauford's grave.
Checks (in US dollars) should be made payable to Les Amis de Beauford Delaney and sent to the following address today:
Monique Y. Wells
Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
11503 Sandhurst
Houston, TX 77048
U.S.A.
As president of Les Amis de Beauford Delaney, I would like to personally express my gratitude for your generosity and your support of this important cause! We will inform all contributors of our success once we have reached our goal.
With sincere thanks,
Monique Y. Wells
President, Les Amis de Beauford Delaney
P.S. If you are unable to contribute $100 or 100€, but would still like to support us, please consider donating $50, 50€, $25, or 25€ to our cause. If you would like to contribute more than $100 or 100€, please feel free to do so!
Christmas with Beauford
Amazing Grace - A Life of Beauford Delaney
(by David Leeming, Oxford University Press, 1998) is the only biography of Beauford Delaney written to date. Because Christmas is approaching, I consulted this volume in search of information about how Beauford celebrated the holidays in France. I found several anecdotes, many of which are tinged with melancholy because of Beauford's worsening mental illness. Below are two that bring to light Beauford's capacity to appreciate life under arduous conditions, and his ability to create art in the midst of them.
(by David Leeming, Oxford University Press, 1998) is the only biography of Beauford Delaney written to date. Because Christmas is approaching, I consulted this volume in search of information about how Beauford celebrated the holidays in France. I found several anecdotes, many of which are tinged with melancholy because of Beauford's worsening mental illness. Below are two that bring to light Beauford's capacity to appreciate life under arduous conditions, and his ability to create art in the midst of them.Beauford spent Christmas Eve of 1959 with James Baldwin and Beat poet Dixie Nimmo. Nimmo cooked an entire chicken on a single burner in his unheated apartment near the Seine (perhaps at “The Beat Hotel” on rue Git-le-Coeur), and all three men “drank quantities of red wine.” Leeming indicates that Beauford considered the meal the best that he had ever eaten and the evening as the happiest that he could remember.
In the days leading up to the Christmas of 1961, Beauford lived at the home of French art collector Solange du Closel and her husband. Du Closel had been a supporter of Beauford since 1958, when she visited his studio in Clamart and bought several of his paintings. With Beauford’s approval, she arranged for a psychiatrist to evaluate Beauford’s mental state, and followed the doctor’s recommendation to place Beauford at the Nogent-sur-Marne Maison de Santé for a rest cure during the Christmas holidays. Prior to his departure, she encouraged Beauford to paint Christmas scenes. Beauford obliged her, creating several works.
Nativity Scene
Beauford Delaney
Oil on canvas (1961)
Beauford Delaney
Oil on canvas (1961)
He gave a painting to Madame du Closel, which featured a simple nativity scene on a bright yellow background that would become a hallmark of several of Beauford’s later works. Beauford would continue to give the du Closels paintings at Christmas time.
Les Amis de Beauford Delaney wishes you the best for the holiday season!