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Most Beautiful Man in the World : Paul Swan, from Wilde to Warhol by Richard Londraville and Janis Londraville (2006, Hardcover)
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When Andy Warhol cast Paul Swan (18831972) in three films in the mid-1960s, he knew that the octogenarian had once been internationally hailed as the most beautiful man in the world and as Nijinskys successor..
- Buy It NowThe Most Beautiful Man in the World: Paul Swan, from Wilde to Wa
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About this product
Product Identifiers
PublisherUniversity of Nebraska Press
ISBN-100803229690
ISBN-139780803229693
eBay Product ID (ePID)46973514
Product Key Features
Book TitleMost Beautiful Man in the World : Paul Swan, from Wilde to Warhol
Number of Pages288 Pages
LanguageEnglish
TopicRich & Famous, General, Entertainment & Performing Arts, American / General, Artists, Architects, Photographers
Publication Year2006
IllustratorYes
GenreArt, Biography & Autobiography
AuthorRichard Londraville, Janis Londraville
FormatHardcover
Dimensions
Item Height1 in
Item Weight19.2 Oz
Item Length8.8 in
Item Width5.8 in
Additional Product Features
Intended AudienceTrade
LCCN2005-014651
Dewey Edition22
Reviews"With unprecedented access to Swan''s personal papers, including his letters, diaries and even an unpublished memoir, the authors have documented the story of this highly conflicted bisexual artist and gay camp idol. It is a story that is intriguing and highly readable."- Arizona Daily Star, "ÝSwan has¨ long since fallen off art's historical map, his own work so completely forgotten that he's best known, to those who have heard of him at all, as the star of Warhol's Paul Swan and Camp. Now his obscurity is lifting. . . . More than just than the story of an artist and his dubious oeuvre, "The Most Beautiful Man in the World" is a depiction of a queer man trying to make it in the 20th century. . . . Whatever the quality of his art, Swan's life will remain valuable to an understanding of gender in the 20th century. His story, as the Londravilles tell it, is an intensely poignant drama of tensions between family and desire." -"Creative Loafing-Weekly Planet.com "(Tampa Bay), "If Swan never painted a recognized masterpiece or choreographed a dance to equal those of Jerome Robbins or George Balanchine, the Londravilles'' highly readable biography argues that, however minor, Swan matters."--Jack Helbig,Booklist, "Dancer, painter, sculptor, poet, actor, and gay camp idol, Paul Swan was a true original. In their carefully researched biography, the Londravilles nimbly document the rich life and legacy of this long forgotten but extraordinary eccentric whose narcissistic antics-all in the name of art-entranced the likes of Marcel Duchamp, Roberto Matta, and Andy Warhol."-Paul B. Franklin, editor in chief of the journal "?tant donn? Marcel Duchamp" (Paris), " [Swan has] long since fallen off art' s historical map, his own work so completely forgotten that he' s best known, to those who have heard of him at all, as the star of Warhol' s Paul Swan and Camp. Now his obscurity is lifting. . . . More than just than the story of an artist and his dubious oeuvre, "The Most Beautiful Man in the World" is a depiction of a queer man trying to make it in the 20th century. . . . Whatever the quality of his art, Swan' s life will remain valuable to an understanding of gender in the 20th century. His story, as the Londravilles tell it, is an intensely poignant drama of tensions between family and desire." -- "Creative Loafing-Weekly Planet.com "(Tampa Bay), "Here, Janis and Richard Londraville present Swan's full story, carefully tracing his professional accomplishments and contributions and sensitively revealing his complex family life, personal eccentricities, and bisexual lifestyle within the context of his time, place, and culture. The authors' extensive research, access to original documents and materials, and interviews form the basis for this highly literate and engaging book, enhanced by a fine selection of photographs."- Library Journal, "If Swan never painted a recognized masterpiece or choreographed a dance to equal those of Jerome Robbins or George Balanchine, the Londravilles' highly readable biography argues that, however minor, Swan matters."--Jack Helbig, Booklist, "[An insightful and compassionate biography. . . . The Londravilles don't focus on [Swan's oddities. Their book succeeds because they concentrate on Swan's considerable artistic achievements, especially his accomplished portraits."- Publishers Weekly, "With unprecedented access to Swan's personal papers, including his letters, diaries and even an unpublished memoir, the authors have documented the story of this highly conflicted bisexual artist and gay camp idol. It is a story that is intriguing and highly readable."- Arizona Daily Star, "Andy Warhol''s film "Paul Swan" is an example of an icon capturing an icon in the world of high (and inside) culture. After decades of speculation about the star of the film, the Londravilles'' book tells Swan''s real story."-- Billy Name-Linich, Warhol factory photographer, artist, " Dancer, painter, sculptor, poet, actor, and gay camp idol, Paul Swan was a true original. In their carefully researched biography, the Londravilles nimbly document the rich life and legacy of this long forgotten but extraordinary eccentric whose narcissistic antics-- all in the name of art-- entranced the likes of Marcel Duchamp, Roberto Matta, and Andy Warhol." -- Paul B. Franklin, editor in chief of the journal "E tant donnE Marcel Duchamp" (Paris), "When Paul Swan exhibited with Robert Henri, Maurice Prendergast, and Rockwell Kent at the Macbeth Gallery in 1914, he was in an elite company of American painters; and when he won awards at the Paris Salons in the 1930s, he was showing with the best in the Western world. Finally, with this biography, we have the intriguing story of Swan''s art, his life, and his loves."-Aaron H. DeGroft, deputy director and chief curator of the Ringling Museum of Art at the State Art Museum of Florida, "This remarkable study invites us to discover Paul Swan, a peculiar and fascinating presence in the world of art and dance. For the first time, in chapters ranging from an insightful commentary on Warhol''s films to a fascinating account of a farm boy who becomes a 'modern Leonardo,' we see someone who can truly claim to have been 'the most beautiful man in the world.'"-Geralyn Huxley, curator of film and video, Andy Warhol Museum., "When Andy Warhol filmed interviews with Swan in 1965, he reignited interest in the man, then 82. The Londravilles perform a similar function, as Swan is today largely forgotten. In what some may consider a quintessential portrait of a gay artist in the first half of the 20th century, the authors meticulously trace Swan's life from his early personal and artistic struggles in a culturally parched Midwest to his success and then pathetic demise in New York City. . . . A portrait fascinating in its details and themes."-Kirkus Reviews, "[An] insightful and compassionate biography. . . . The Londravilles don't focus on [Swan's] oddities. Their book succeeds because they concentrate on Swan's considerable artistic achievements, especially his accomplished portraits."- Publishers Weekly, "When Andy Warhol filmed interviews with Swan in 1965, he reignited interest in the man, then 82. The Londravilles perform a similar function, as Swan is today largely forgotten. In what some may consider a quintessential portrait of a gay artist in the first half of the 20th century, the authors meticulously trace Swan's life from his early personal and artistic struggles in a culturally parched Midwest to his success and then pathetic demise in New York City. . . . A portrait fascinating in its details and themes."- Kirkus Reviews, "[Swan has long since fallen off art's historical map, his own work so completely forgotten that he's best known, to those who have heard of him at all, as the star of Warhol's Paul Swan and Camp. Now his obscurity is lifting. . . . More than just than the story of an artist and his dubious oeuvre, The Most Beautiful Man in the World is a depiction of a queer man trying to make it in the 20th century. . . . Whatever the quality of his art, Swan's life will remain valuable to an understanding of gender in the 20th century. His story, as the Londravilles tell it, is an intensely poignant drama of tensions between family and desire." - Creative Loafing-Weekly Planet.com (Tampa Bay), "Andy Warhol''s film Paul Swan is an example of an icon capturing an icon in the world of high (and inside) culture. After decades of speculation about the star of the film, the Londravilles'' book tells Swan''s real story."-Billy Name-Linich, Warhol factory photographer, artist, " When Paul Swan exhibited with Robert Henri, Maurice Prendergast, and Rockwell Kent at the Macbeth Gallery in 1914, he was in an elite company of American painters; and when he won awards at the Paris Salons in the 1930s, he was showing with the best in the Western world. Finally, with this biography, we have the intriguing story of Swan''s art, his life, and his loves." -- Aaron H. DeGroft, deputy director and chief curator of the Ringling Museum of Art at the State Art Museum of Florida, "Here, Janis and Richard Londraville present Swan's full story, carefully tracing his professional accomplishments and contributions and sensitively revealing his complex family life, personal eccentricities, and bisexual lifestyle within the context of his time, place, and culture. The authors' extensive research, access to original documents and materials, and interviews form the basis for this highly literate and engaging book, enhanced by a fine selection of photographs."-Library Journal, " [An] insightful and compassionate biography. . . . The Londravilles don ' t focus on [Swan ' s] oddities. Their book succeeds because they concentrate on Swan ' s considerable artistic achievements, especially his accomplished portraits. " -- Publishers Weekly ., "This remarkable study invites us to discover Paul Swan, a peculiar and fascinating presence in the world of art and dance. For the first time, in chapters ranging from an insightful commentary on Warhol''s films to a fascinating account of a farm boy who becomes a 'modern Leonardo,' we see someone who can truly claim to have been 'the most beautiful man in the world.'"-Geralyn Huxley, curator of film and video, Andy Warhol Museum, "A detailed, complicated portrait that recalls POLLOCK and LUST FOR LIFE. . . . Should have Screen Actors Guild members turning pages with one hand and dialing their agents with the other."- Hollywood Reporter, "This remarkable study invites us to discover Paul Swan, a peculiar and fascinating presence in the world of art and dance. For the first time, in chapters ranging from an insightful commentary on Warhol's films to a fascinating account of a farm boy who becomes a 'modern Leonardo,' we see someone who can truly claim to have been 'the most beautiful man in the world.'"-Geralyn Huxley, curator of film and video, Andy Warhol Museum, "With unprecedented access to Swan''s personal papers, including his letters, diaries and even an unpublished memoir, the authors have documented the story of this highly conflicted bisexual artist and gay camp idol. It is a story that is intriguing and highly readable."-Arizona Daily Star, "Reading this fascinating biography is like leafing through a crumbling scrapbook, one filled with faded photographs, old dance programs and pressed flowers. It is the incredible story of Paul Swan, a man once described by a journalist as the most beautiful man in the world and, indeed, during the 1920s he was. . . . With unprecedented access to Swan's personal papers, including his letters, diaries and even an unpublished memoir, the authors have documented the story of this highly conflicted bisexual artist and gaycamp idol. It is a story that is intriguing and highly readable."-Larry Cox,Arizona Daily StarandTucson Citizen., "Dancer, painter, sculptor, poet, actor, and gay camp idol, Paul Swan was a true original. In their carefully researched biography, the Londravilles nimbly document the rich life and legacy of this long forgotten but extraordinary eccentric whose narcissistic antics-all in the name of art-entranced the likes of Marcel Duchamp, Roberto Matta, and Andy Warhol."-Paul B. Franklin, editor in chief of the journal Étant donnÉ Marcel Duchamp (Paris), "Reading this fascinating biography is like leafing through a crumbling scrapbook, one filled with faded photographs, old dance programs and pressed flowers. It is the incredible story of Paul Swan, a man once described by a journalist as the most beautiful man in the world and, indeed, during the 1920s he was. . . . With unprecedented access to Swan's personal papers, including his letters, diaries and even an unpublished memoir, the authors have documented the story of this highly conflicted bisexual artist and gaycamp idol. It is a story that is intriguing and highly readable."-Larry Cox, Arizona Daily Star and Tucson Citizen, "Andy Warhol's film Paul Swan is an example of an icon capturing an icon in the world of high (and inside) culture. After decades of speculation about the star of the film, the Londravilles' book tells Swan's real story."-Billy Name-Linich, Warhol factory photographer, artist, "Although Paul Swan's name may not be immediately recognizable to contemporary audiences, he left a legacy of unique artistic accomplishments that spanned the first half of the 20th century. While his paintings dealt with a variety of themes, he was especially recognized for his exquisite portraits of notables ranging from Ezra Pound to Pope Paul VI. Swan's popular work as a dancer/performance artist drew on Greek mythical characters as subjects-portrayed with his signature beauty, grace, and flair in American and European venues and, ultimately, at weekly performances in his Carnegie Hall studio. During his waning years, he was sadly depicted in unflattering film treatments by Andy Warhol - a far cry from his total essence. Here, Janis and Richard Londraville (Dear Yeats, Dear Pound, Dear Ford: Jeanne Robert Foster and Her Circle of Friends) present Swan's full story, carefully tracing his professional accomplishments and contributions and sensitively revealing his complex family life, personal eccentricities, and bisexual lifestyle within the context of his time, place, and culture. The authors' extensive research, access to original documents and materials, and interviews form the basis for this highly literate and engaging book, enhanced by a fine selection of photographs." Library Journal "In 1965, Andy Warhol made a film in which the 82-year-old dancer and gay camp idol Paul Swan, once called "The Most Beautiful Man in the World," is shown trying to recreate one of his youthful performances, unintentionally making a mockery of his past grace. The authors (Dear Yeats, Dear Pound, Dear Ford) of this insightful and compassionate biography take account of this and other pathetic aspects of Swan's old age, but for the most part they emphasize the positive side of his life. Raised on a Midwestern farm in a family dominated by a rigidly Methodist mother, Swan left home at 15, adopted a bohemian life style based on Oscar Wilde's dictum of art for art's sake, and became a successful portrait painter and sculptor as well as an actor, a poet and a leading exponent of classical dance. Bisexual, married and the father of two children, he was the quintessential eccentric, especially in his later years when he wore quantities of makeup, bathed in olive oil and stuffed his pants with socks to make himself appear better endowed. The Londravilles don't focus on these oddities. Their book succeeds because they concentrate on Swan's considerable artistic achievements, especially his accomplished portraits." Publishers Weekly "Andy Warhol's film Paul Swan is an example of an icon capturing an icon in the world of high (and inside) culture. After decades of speculation about the star of the film, the Londravilles' book tells Swan's real story."-Billy Name-Linich, Warhol factory photographer, artist "This remarkable study invites us to discover Paul Swan, a peculiar and fascinating presence in the world of art and dance. For the first time, in chapters ranging from an insightful commentary on Warhol's films to a fascinating account of a farm boy who becomes a 'modern Leonardo,' we see someone who can truly claim to have been 'the most beautiful man in the world.'"-Geralyn Huxley, curator of film and video, Andy Warhol Museum. "Dancer, painter, sculptor, poet, actor, and gay camp idol, Paul Swan was a true original. In their carefully researched biography, the Londravilles nimbly document the rich life and legacy of this long forgotten but extraordinary eccentric whose narcissistic antics-all in the name of art-entranced the likes of Marcel Duchamp, Roberto Matta, and Andy Warhol."-Paul B. Franklin, editor in chief of the journal Étant donné Marcel Duchamp (Paris)"When Paul Swan exhibited with Robert Henri, Maurice Prendergast, and Rockwell Kent at the Macbeth Gallery in 1914, he was in an elite company of American painters; and when he won awards at the Paris Salons in the 1930s, he was showing with the bes, "If Swan never painted a recognized masterpiece or choreographed a dance to equal those of Jerome Robbins or George Balanchine, the Londravilles'' highly readable biography argues that, however minor, Swan matters."--Jack Helbig, Booklist, "When Paul Swan exhibited with Robert Henri, Maurice Prendergast, and Rockwell Kent at the Macbeth Gallery in 1914, he was in an elite company of American painters; and when he won awards at the Paris Salons in the 1930s, he was showing with the best in the Western world. Finally, with this biography, we have the intriguing story of Swan's art, his life, and his loves."-Aaron H. DeGroft, deputy director and chief curator of the Ringling Museum of Art at the State Art Museum of Florida, "ÝAn¨ insightful and compassionate biography. . . . The Londravilles don't focus on ÝSwan's¨ oddities. Their book succeeds because they concentrate on Swan's considerable artistic achievements, especially his accomplished portraits."-"Publishers Weekly.", "[Swan has] long since fallen off art's historical map, his own work so completely forgotten that he's best known, to those who have heard of him at all, as the star of Warhol's Paul Swan and Camp. Now his obscurity is lifting. . . . More than just than the story of an artist and his dubious oeuvre, The Most Beautiful Man in the World is a depiction of a queer man trying to make it in the 20th century. . . . Whatever the quality of his art, Swan's life will remain valuable to an understanding of gender in the 20th century. His story, as the Londravilles tell it, is an intensely poignant drama of tensions between family and desire." - Creative Loafing-Weekly Planet.com (Tampa Bay)
TitleLeadingThe
Dewey Decimal700/.92 B
Table Of Content1. Andy Warhol and the Rebirth of Paul Swan; 2. Cold Comfort Farm, 1880-1897; 3. Mentors and Lovers, 1897-1906; 4. Apprentices for Adonis, 1906-1911; 5. "America's Premier Dancer," 1911-1921; 6. All the World's a Stage, 1921-1925; 7. Death and the Celebrity, 1926-1929; 8. Ateliers, 1930-1933; 9. Winds of War, 1933-1938; 10. Farewells, 1938-1939; 11. The Carnegie Club, 1940-1950; 12. Holding On, 1951-1960; 13. Diminuendo, 1961-1972
SynopsisThis is the biography of Paul Swan, actor, dancer, painter, and sculptor who was once hailed as 'the most beautiful man in the world'., When Andy Warhol cast Paul Swan (1883-1972) in three films in the mid-1960s, he knew that the octogenarian had once been internationally hailed as "the most beautiful man in the world" and as "Nijinsky's successor." Arthur Hammerstein had advertised Swan as "a reincarnated Greek God," and George and Ira Gershwin had celebrated his beauty in their musical Funny Face . What Warhol didn't know was that Swan had also been called "America's Leonardo," portrait artist of the famous and the infamous, including writer Willa Cather, aviator Charles Lindbergh, British Prime Minister James Ramsay MacDonald, and dictator Benito Mussolini. This book is the first to tell Swan's story, from his days as a world-famous dancer and artist, through his film career--which ran from silent pictures, including De Mille's Ten Commandments (1923), to Warhol's Camp, Paul Swan, and Paul Swan I-IV (1965)--to his portrait painting late in life when Nelson Rockefeller's children, Malachy McCourt, and Pope Paul VI were among his subjects. With unprecedented access to Swan's scrapbooks, letters, diaries, and an unpublished memoir that tells the story of a bisexual man trying to build a public life in perilous times, Janis and Richard Londraville reconstruct the intriguing life of this uniquely interesting figure, whose story, although widely glossed in the press, was until now never fully known., The biography of Paul Swan, actor, dancer, painter, and sculptor who was once hailed as "the most beautiful man in the world."
LC Classification NumberCT275.S899L66 2005
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- Mar 25, 2025
The book is in good shape like its new ...
The book is in good shape like its new I can't wait to read it. Thanks for having it for me!Verified purchase: YesCondition: Pre-owned
