Gertrude Stein

Date of Birth: February 3, 1874

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Date of Death: July 27, 1946

Biography

Gertrude Stein was an American novelist, poet, playwright, and art collector born on February 3, 1874, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, which is now part of Pittsburgh. She spent her early years in Oakland, California, before moving to Paris in 1903, where she would live for the rest of her life. Stein is best known for her modernist literature and for her salon gatherings, where she hosted some of the most prominent artists and writers of the early 20th century, including Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Matisse. Stein’s writing is often characterized by its innovative use of language and stream-of-consciousness style. Among her most famous works are “Three Lives” (1909), “Tender Buttons” (1914), and “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” (1933), the latter of which brought her significant fame. Her influence extended beyond literature to the visual arts, as she was an early supporter and collector of modern art, amassing works by Cézanne, Matisse, and Picasso. Stein had a long-term relationship with Alice B. Toklas, who was also her life partner and the subject of “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.” Stein passed away on July 27, 1946, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. Her legacy endures in both the literary and art worlds.

5 Interesting Facts about Gertrude Stein

1. Gertrude Stein coined the term “Lost Generation” to describe the disillusioned youth post-World War I.

2. She was an early and significant patron of avant-garde painters, especially Pablo Picasso and Henri Matisse.

3. Stein’s book “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” was a best-seller and is one of her most commercially successful works.

4. She studied psychology under William James at Harvard University, where she conducted research on automatic writing.

5. Stein’s Paris salon at 27 Rue de Fleurus was a hub for the modernist cultural movement.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Gertrude Stein

1. “A rose is a rose is a rose is a rose.”

2. “There is no there there.”

3. “Who came first, the egg or the hen? It is perfectly indifferent, they are both here.”

4. “You are all a lost generation.”

5. “I write for myself and strangers.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Gertrude Stein’s highest net worth is not well-documented, but her significant art collection, which included works by Picasso and Matisse, would be worth millions today.