Gluck

Gluck was a rebel. She was born Hannah Gluckstein in 1895 into the family that founded the J.Lyons & Co. catering company. She had passionate affairs with society women, chose her own monosyllabic name, and exhibited her paintings only in “one man” shows. Her torrid personal life shocked her family, though the money she received from them allowed her to live in style.

In the 1920s and ’30s Gluck’s portraits, flower paintings and landscapes, set in the frames she designed and patented were coveted by the rich and famous. At the height of her fame she stopped working, caught in a bitter campaign over the quality of artists’ materials. Thus, when nearly eighty she returned to the limelight with a burst of creative energy.

In this book Diana Souhami interweaves the pictures, people and events that made up Gluck’s life. She reveals her as an extraordinary woman and an undervalued artist.