Muses: Gabrielle Ray

Another story about beautiful and talented woman ruined by a man, by unhappy marriage.

Gabrielle Ray, born in 1883 as Gabrielle Elizabeth Clifford Cook was an Edwardian musical comedies actress, described in “Temps” as the most beautiful woman in the United Kingdom. Her stage career began at the age of 10. 

 A vision of loveliness with bright blue eyes and golden blonde hair who enchanted her audience from the moment she appeared on stage. 

In 1912 Gabrielle Ray announced she was retiring from the stage to marry Eric Loder. However, the marriage was unsuccessful and divorce followed. Attempting to return to the stage proved a less easy task in 1915 and while she continued to attempt to revive her career, in the early 1920s she finally lost interest. There then followed years of leading a more hedonistic lifestyle which eventually led to alcoholism and depression. In the late 1930s Gabrielle Ray was admitted to a mental home in Surrey, where she was to spend the rest of her life until 1973 when she died aged 90.

Artists: William John Hennessy

Welcome spring with delicate, sensual and elegant works of William John Hennessy (1839-1917, Ireland)

"A Spring Fantasy"

"Woman in Autumn Landscape"

"Dandelion Clock"

"The Pride of Dijon"

"An Old Song"

"The Japanese Parasol"

"Cliffwalk"



Greyblue vernal ice abounds
Arctic winds from gusting gales
Grim-throated grebes cry from cold
Chorus climbs as harsh herons
Hear wolfpack howls in wasteplace
Waking with the mist of morn
Birds awaken on the isles
True flight before the wildbeast
From wood, from grass green, blue, grey

Glass úar errach

Muses: Ginette Lantelme

I found my way to this amazingly beautiful lady beginning with Colette. Colette lead me to best friend Misia Sert and Misia's husband, whose lover Genevieve "Ginette"Lantelme was. Misia was extremely jelaous of the actress in a way I also know, and I think many women do - she wanted to BE Lantelme. Wanted to look like her, move like her, speak like her. It was jelaousy and fascination. Proust used this as the model for Gilberte's jealousy of Rachel and Saint-Loup in his most famous book.

But I believe nor Misia nor we would like to have Genevieve's end - she died falling down from her lover's (then already husband's) yacht at the age of 28.

Born in 1883 as Mathilde Hortense Claire Fossey...

At fourteen she was one of the lures at her mother's brothel, but soon became an acclaimed Paris actress. Theatregoers savoured her reputation for enjoying the bodies of men and women with equal pleasure: her languid slouch was imitated by other Parisian vamps.

by Giovanni Boldini

Impressions from the gallery: Pierre-Georges Jeanniot

Pierre-Georges Jeanniot

(1848-1934)

painter, designer, watercolorist 

repeatedly exhibited and awared at the Salon

He was gifted with many talents and also excelled with drawings. He showed in his drawings passion and artistic strength. They are vivacious, expressive and enthusiastic, while at the same time, rendering with a sense of humour the picturesque scenes of daily life. He illustrated a large number of literary books.

illustration to Les Miserables

I find his style very diversified.