Like A Good Neighbor, Peggy Is There
Describing the location of the Wake Forest University owned house in Venice does not require much explanation—next door to the Peggy Guggenheim Collection; however, many students do not spend extensive amounts of time with their neighbor. Some even ask, “Is Peggy still alive?” Well—no, she died in the late seventies. “Is she Italian?” Not exactly. Peggy Guggenheim was born into a rich, New York family in the late nineteenth century, and she did not permanently move to Venice until after World War II. Even so, Peggy developed “the most important collection of modern art in Italy” (Dortch 161). Even though she moved to Venice later in her life, Peggy is an exemplary model of citizenship because of her generosity, hospitality, and tremendous cultural contribution to the city of Venice.
Peggy inherited $450,000 from her dad after he died on the Titanic, and “though she was never by any standards poor,” she was “imaginative and inventive” with her income (Vail 20). She displayed her inventiveness during World War II when she collected a picture every day to build up her collection (Vail 43). Relatively speaking, Peggy spent a small portion of her life collecting art, but a lot of the art she collected—which is now displayed in her museum—came from budding artists who were pushing the boundaries with their modernism. Peggy was generous because she spent—or invested—her money in a way that benefited her contemporaries and future generations. Buying work from new artists jumpstarted their careers, and she did not keep the art to herself; she opened up her home and gallery to the public for its viewing pleasure. Today, the art world, Venetians, and visitors of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection benefit from her generosity with her money because they have access to an incredible array of modern art. Peggy perfectly demonstrates Aristotle’s argument about the importance of private property for the motivation of humans while also using it for the common good (Aristotle). She owned and collected art, giving her a sense of ownership and pride which motivated her to take care of the art, but she shared her art with the public—an enrichment to their lives.
Along with her generosity, Peggy displayed hospitality while she lived in the Palazzo Venier dei Leoni on the Grand Canal. In the book celebrating the centennial of her birth, the author highlights guest books that Peggy kept, which contained entries and illustrations from a wide range of visitors. The guest books chronicle visits from citizens representing all levels of society (Vail 81). Her hospitality does not end with her death, though. As her health was deteriorating, she discussed the future of her collection with artist Giuseppe Santomaso, who reflects on the decision to keep the collection in Venice instead of allowing it to get “lost among thousands of art works at the Tate” Gallery in London (Dortch 154). So, today, Peggy still welcomes visitors into her home to see her art collection.
Peggy’s generosity and hospitality enabled her to leave behind one of the most important cultural legacies in Venice. Giuseppe Santomaso put it best when he explains how “for centuries people traveled to Venice to see St. Mark’s Square and Palazzo Ducale,” and “now they come to see Peggy and Peggy’s collection” (Dortch 154). Venice is a city rich in history and art—an important quality because “art is the epitome of human life, the truest record of insight and feeling” (Langer 5). Peggy’s collection adds more depth to the “epitome of human life” in Venice. Venice houses a lot of art, but Peggy’s collection is a newer and contemporary addition. Art is also a crucial educational tool. Peggy enriches others’ lives by providing this irreplaceable resource for human reflection and education
The Peggy Guggenheim Collection is Peggy’s citizenship epitomized. It represents her generosity and hospitality towards Venetians and foreigners alike. Her legacy and gifts are marks of her good practice of citizenship in a place where she wasn’t even born. Unfortunately, a perfect citizen does not exist, and Peggy was not without fault. After she moved to Venice, she would periodically send her collection “out of the country and then bring it back in at a lower valuation” in order “to avoid high import duties” (Vail 78). When she was not sending her collection outside of the country, she transported it around Italy to avoid penalization from the Italian government (Vail 78). Although the Italian government is not known for its efficient bureaucracy, Peggy’s disregard for the law to avoid losing money is not a practice of good citizenship. She was described as “selfish, cold, and manipulative” (Vail 107)—also not ideal characteristics for a citizen.
Despite her flaws, it still remains that Peggy gave a lot to the city of Venice. Her art collection now acts as a citizen in her place, continuing to give to visitors an artistic and cultural experience that she created. As benefactors of Peggy’s citizenship, it is important for Casa Artom students to know their neighbor as an act of good citizenship as well.
Works Cited
“Book Three.” Politics. Aristotle. N.p., 350AD. Web.
Guggenheim, Peggy, Virginia M Dortch, and Berenice Abbott. Peggy Guggenheim and Her
Friends. Milano: Berenice, 1994.
Langer, Susanne K. “The Cultural Importance of the Arts.” Journal of Aesthetic Education 1.1
(1966): 5-12. JSTOR. Web. 23 Sept. 2014.
Vail, Karole P. B. Peggy Guggenheim: A Celebration. New York: The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 1999. Print.