Lulu Gallery Guide Final Edition
- 1. STYLES FOR A NEW CENTURY NUMBER 1 ADVER TISEMENTS PAGE 4 Tonight: partly cloudy SPECIAL EDITION Curtain Up on the Avant-garde: Art, Literature, and Music on Stage NUMBER 1 ON VIEW MARCH 2 - JUNE 12, 2011 PAGE 1 Paul Poiret , Couturier TRAGIC CLIMAX FOR LULU IN EAST END GARRETT LULU Avenue D’Antin 26 TZ JA 2 Rue de La Paix~S2 FAUB.G ST HONORÉ 107 I HW CK Rue des Petits Champs À PARIS C TH J. Minot, Proprietor Téléphone: 575-80 ES E SG RIP TES PER COUN Luxe Like Lulu: Home Furnishings LAST EDITION and Finery for the 20th Century Look Like Lulu: A Salon Full of New Ideas L'ART NOUVEAU TWO OF HER LOVERS DESPERATE FOR LOVE, KILLED IN NEXT ROOM 22. R. de Provence À PARIS S. Bing, Proprietor Painter’s Estate Sale COUNTESS SACRIFICES ALL LONDON—Lulu, the notorious coquette of French and German Everything Must Be Sold This Week society, was found dead in her shabby East End apartment, the victim of Jack the Ripper. Once a glamorous model and dancer who captured the LONDON—Hearing dying screams, Countess Geschwitz rushed to attention of men—and women—everywhere, she was reduced to Sudden death of young bohemian painter compels sale of his estate. Among save the ill-fated beauty Lulu from the brutality of Jack the Ripper. streetwalking. Tragically, Lulu also beguiled Jack the Ripper, who slit treasures an exotic and luxurious tiger skin rug, set of four chairs painted with The countess saved neither the beguiling nymph she loved nor her throat and left her to die. white flowers on backs, and tufted chaise lounge with vibrant blue fabric. Also herself. Both Geschwitz and Lulu met a sad end at the hands of the Also strewn around the dank apartment were bodies of two for sale, gently worn portrait of his wife, a woman with flaming red hair in a unknown sadist. Geschwitz’s body was found gazing at the of Lulu’s former lovers. The corpse of Countess Geschwitz, another celebrated painting of Lulu in a Pierrot costume. victim of the misogynistic monster, was discovered on the sitting room Pierrot costume. For those who knew Countess Geschwitz, it comes as no floor. Alwa Schön, son of Lulu’s third husband, was found murdered surprise that her love for Lulu knew no limits. After Lulu went to near the countess. Stabbed multiple times, his body was hidden under a Lounge Like Lulu: Photo credits in clockwise order: Louis Comfort Tiffany, Lamp, ca. 1900. Gilded bronze, prison for the murder of her husband Dr. Schön, Geschwitz played blanket. Sources state that he was not the victim of Jack the Ripper, but Modern furniture according to wire mesh, and glass shade, with electric light; Louis Majorelle, Armchair, ca. 1900. a major role in her escape. Sources indicate that Geschwitz deliber- died at the hand of another of Lulu’s clients. new designs by the most Walnut and fabric. Wallace Collection, London; Hector Guimard, Ecritoire-Bibliothèque ately contracted cholera so that she could take Lulu’s place in the Reaction to the brutal demise of Lulu and her admirers has (Writing Desk-Bookcase), ca. 1900–1905. Pearwood; George Lepape, Lassitude: Robe de prison’s sick ward, languishing there until the truth was uncovered. forward-looking artists dîner, de Paul Poiret (Lassitude: Dinner Dress by Paul Poiret) from Gazette du Bon Ton, been mixed. Some believe she deserved her fate, as she was a known Black Widow, who escaped from prison after the murder of her third 1913. Pochoir. All objects are from the collection of the McNay Art Museum unless husband, Dr. Schön. otherwise noted. Engaging with art at Please leave this card in the plastic container for other visitors. Engaging with art at Please leave this card in the plastic container for other visitors. McNay Art Museum San Antonio, Texas Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts McNay Art Museum San Antonio, Texas Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts
- 2. LULU: THE BACKSTORY HUSBANDS AND LOVERS NUMBER 1 SPECIAL EDITION PAGE 2 NUMBER 1 SPECIAL EDITION PAGE 3 WARD AND WIFE LULU MURDERS THIRD HUSBAND Dr. Schön, the third husband of young woman to marry and Lulu, died attempting to free arranged Lulu’s first two marriages. himself from the clutches of his Lulu eventually persuaded faithless wife. Friends of the him to leave his fiancée and marry murdered doctor say he called her her. Unable to say no, he sensed that his “angel of death” and death alone would liberate him. prophesied his own sad fate. Witnesses to the violent argument THE PHYSICIAN THE PAINTER The two shared a between the couple say that Dr. bizarre history. Dr. Schön raised Schön discovered several of Lulu’s HEARTBREAK, her after he found her on the lovers at his house. Begging her to streets. The doctor’s relationship commit suicide, he gave her a gun. with his ward eventually became Instead, she shot him and was sent less paternal and more sexual. to prison for murder. Lulu, crazed by passion, poisoned his wife, hoping to marry him. WIDOW’S INFIDELITY DRIVES YOUNG Instead Schön found a wealthy THEN HEART HUSBAND TO SUICIDE “…THE MOST CUNNING WHORE A W WHO EVER LURED A MAN ATTACK! AL MURDER SUSPECT & TO HIS RUIN” Lulu’s second husband, the Painter, slit his own throat. When her guardian, Dr. Schön, revealed Lulu’s unfaithfulness and shattered the STALKER ESCAPES LONDON—Among those murdered in the London garret was Alwa, ATTIC SLAYINGS artist’s illusion of his perfect wife, the artist sank into a depression and took his own life in his apartment. one of Lulu’s lovers and the son of her third husband Dr. Schön. As a follow-up to Lulu’s demise finding the Painter and Lulu Those who knew the couple find it inexplicable that the Sources state that he was stabbed to death by one of her clients when described on the front page, alone in a passionate embrace, artist took the news so hard. In fact, while painting Lulu’s portrait for Alwa attacked him in a jealous frenzy. detectives pursued information the offended husband fell her first husband, the ardent Painter succeeded in seducing her Alwa and Lulu grew up like brother and sister, but he fell about her past husbands and victim to a fatal heart attack. despite her insincere objections. deeply in love with her. Lulu eventually married his father and, on lovers. Far from dismayed at the death Interestingly, the Painter was just another pawn in the the grisly night she murdered Dr. Schön, Alwa proclaimed his love Storming into the of her elderly husband, Lulu twisted relationship between Lulu and Dr. Schön, who secretly bought for her. Painter’s studio where his wife reacted gleefully, realizing she the artist’s work to support Lulu while continuing his own affair with LONDON— Homeless, itinerant Schigolch remains the only person to He once presciently declared “If it weren’t for those huge, had gone to sit for her portrait, was now a rich widow. The her. Schön exposed the truth to the Painter to escape the affair. avoid the gruesome East End attic slayings. No one is entirely sure who childlike eyes, I’d call you the most cunning whore to ever lure a man Lulu’s first husband, the Painter soon became her Ironically, the doctor would be the next victim of Lulu’s “black widow” Schigolch is or from whence he came. Some suspect he is Lulu’s to his ruin.” Alwa followed her to Paris and London. Despite his Physician, caught her in the second husband…and her next tendencies. biological father, others seem uncertain, as he and Lulu once had a knowledge of Lulu’s past indiscretions and her current situation as a arms of another man. Shocked at victim. physical relationship. prostitute, Alwa remained jealous. Stabbed and left under a blanket, Schigolch appeared intermittently throughout Lulu’s life. his lifeless body lay nearby even as Lulu kept trolling for men. Solicitous of her welfare but desperate for money, he could always find her. He followed her to London, where his passionate pilgrimage ended cruelly in the death of Lulu and his own fortunate escape. Custom designs on pages 1–3 by Jocelyn Herbert (British, 1917–2003) Please leave this card in the plastic container for other visitors. for the Metropolitan Operaʼs 1977 production of Alban Bergʼs opera Lulu Tobin Collection of Theatre Arts