Gwen Le Gallienne

Gwen Le Gallienne (1874–1966) was an English painter and sculptor. She was the first woman allowed to sketch battlefield scenes by the British War Office.

Life
Gwen was born to Irma Hinton Perry and Roland Hinton Perry in 1874. She was Richard Le Gallienne's step-daughter, and took the name Gwen Le Gallienne. Her mother Irma was Richard Le Gallienne's third wife, and Irma and Richard married in 1911. Gwen was considered somewhat of a celebrity, starting in the 1920s, due to her nonconformity to sexual and social norms which led her to stand out. Her personality was even notable among the Montparnasse bohemian circle. Gwen was noted for having an affair with Louise Bryant. Gwen was friends with Stephen Ward during this time. Gwen and Bryant started their affair early in 1928, which caused much strain in Bryant's marriage. Allegedly, Bryant's husband found Louise's personal notes about her affair with Gwen and this caused their divorce. Gwen was also involved with Yvette Ledeux, a nurse, but Ledeux became involved with the painter Georges Malkine on a trip they all took in January 1929.

Career
Gwen was exhibiting her art by her twenties. She had multiple solo shows of her work.  In 1940, Le Gallienne was the first female painter who was allowed by the United Kingdom's War Office to go to war sites and paint scenes of battles.  Gwen also served in British intelligence during the war.

Links
 A photograph of Gwen Le Gallienne by Berenice Abbott
 Another photograph of Gwen Le Gallienne by Berenice Abbott

References

Category:1874 births
Category:1966 deaths
Category:20th-century English painters