Hermine Moos and the doll
Kokoschka was in collaboration with Hermine Moos, an avant-garde dollmaker, when he commissioned her to create the Alma doll. He and Hermine wrote letters to communicate the details of the creation of the doll. Some of these letters have been published. Once the doll was created, he hired servants to spread rumors about the doll. Hulda was one of the servants who assisted Kokoschka with those rumors.
In an article by Bonnie Roos entitled "The Women and the Doll Who Conceived the Artist", Roos writes of Moos' role as madam. "In this sense, Kokoschka reduces Moos's artistic talent to her feminine procreative powers, which are paid for: she not only sells a doll she has sexed into a 'woman,' but sells herself--an intricate linking of motherly creation and the female artist with 'public' commerce and prostitution" (297).
Despite Kokoschka's request for a skin that feels like natural skin, Moos' creation had a skin of feathers. Kokoscka was disappointed with this result. He writes about his disappointment in a letter to Frauline Moos:
"The outer shell is a polar-bear pelt, suitable for a shaggy imitation bedside rug rather than the soft and pliable skin of a woman. [...] The result is that I cannot
even dress the doll, which you knew was my intention, let alone array her in
delicate and precious robes. Even attempting to pull on one stocking would be like
asking a French dancing-master to waltz with a polar bear" (299).
Although Moos is a skilled doll-maker, her creation was a disappointment to Kokoschka. There is speculation from author Bonnie Roos that the demands made of her were purposely ignored when she created the doll, in order to thwart OK's creation.
Click below to see pictures of the doll:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74644976@N00/sets/72157594403980516/
Click on this link for addtional information about the doll. Again, with this link, read lightly. This information does not come from a scholarly source and may not be 100% accurate.
http://www.alma-mahler.at/engl/almas_life/puppet.html
In an article by Bonnie Roos entitled "The Women and the Doll Who Conceived the Artist", Roos writes of Moos' role as madam. "In this sense, Kokoschka reduces Moos's artistic talent to her feminine procreative powers, which are paid for: she not only sells a doll she has sexed into a 'woman,' but sells herself--an intricate linking of motherly creation and the female artist with 'public' commerce and prostitution" (297).
Despite Kokoschka's request for a skin that feels like natural skin, Moos' creation had a skin of feathers. Kokoscka was disappointed with this result. He writes about his disappointment in a letter to Frauline Moos:
"The outer shell is a polar-bear pelt, suitable for a shaggy imitation bedside rug rather than the soft and pliable skin of a woman. [...] The result is that I cannot
even dress the doll, which you knew was my intention, let alone array her in
delicate and precious robes. Even attempting to pull on one stocking would be like
asking a French dancing-master to waltz with a polar bear" (299).
Although Moos is a skilled doll-maker, her creation was a disappointment to Kokoschka. There is speculation from author Bonnie Roos that the demands made of her were purposely ignored when she created the doll, in order to thwart OK's creation.
Click below to see pictures of the doll:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/74644976@N00/sets/72157594403980516/
Click on this link for addtional information about the doll. Again, with this link, read lightly. This information does not come from a scholarly source and may not be 100% accurate.
http://www.alma-mahler.at/engl/almas_life/puppet.html
posted by Kokoschka Play at
12:23 PM
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