Inspired by the modern paintings of
Picasso and Matisse, Gertrude Stein made 'word portraits' of a number of her close friends from about 1909-1912.
"I
tried to tell what each one is without telling stories."
One of her most famous word portraits was of Matisse himself.
"He certainly very clearly expressed something. Some said that he did not
clearly express anything. Some were certain that he expressed something
very clearly and some of such of them said that he would have been a
greater one if he had not been one so clearly expressing what he was
expressing. Some said he was not clearly expressing what he was expressing
and some of such of them said that the greatness of struggling which was
not clear expression made of him one being a completely great one."
From Matisse, Picasso and Gertrude Stein (1909-12)
