It is imperative to me and my writing to remember the women who have been forgotten by mainstream history, which, for way too long now, has been written, archived and reproduced as a mainly patriarchal construct and narrative. The official history that we learn at school or see presented across the media landscape is, for the most part, his-story. We learn about “important dates, important events and important men” and conveniently forget everything else.
You have described the 'muse' syndrome perfectly! In a similar way, I am trying to correct the historical neglect of women artists in the surrealist movement with my Substack The Fur Cup and my novel, coming this autumn. I plan to add more info to my Substack and thought I might use 'From Muse to Maker' as a title, which could also apply to the change to Lou Andreas Salome's reputation that you are helping to effect by writing about her here. Bravo!
Anyone who influenced both Nietzshe and Freud deserves to be studied and understood. To consign Salome to being a footnote to the ground breaking work of both men is an incredible sin of omission. Bravo Elif!
You should do Alice Kober next! She played a heavy role in the decipherment of Linear B but got little to no credit for it. Micheal Ventris, the one who received the credit, even admitted that she would have been the one to decipher Linear B had it not been for her death. I read a book about her once and the process of decipherment was so incredible and fascinating it truly could not have been done without her, but like most women, she went unrecognized.
I am with you in admiration for Lou. How many women have been sidelined through history as the muse! ugh. I recently was reading the poetry of Lizzie Siddel, who was known only as the muse to Rosetti and the Pre-Raphaelites--never mind she was a painter and poet herself, and may have even originated the idea of the pre-raphaelites style. So many stories have been sidelined for the story of the genius man.
This reminds me of the way Margaret McDonald Mackintosh’s contribution (to put it no higher) to Charles Rene Mackintosh’s work forgotten. I read about her in Clare Hunter’s excellent Threads of Life.
I was lucky enough to find out more about her back in the 1990s, thanks to some great tutors at University (why do so many muses actually prove to have been innovative creatives and intellectuals in their own right? Aka why do so many female innovative creatives and intellectuals find themselves historically sidelined to be 'muses'? 🙄)
You have described the 'muse' syndrome perfectly! In a similar way, I am trying to correct the historical neglect of women artists in the surrealist movement with my Substack The Fur Cup and my novel, coming this autumn. I plan to add more info to my Substack and thought I might use 'From Muse to Maker' as a title, which could also apply to the change to Lou Andreas Salome's reputation that you are helping to effect by writing about her here. Bravo!
Anyone who influenced both Nietzshe and Freud deserves to be studied and understood. To consign Salome to being a footnote to the ground breaking work of both men is an incredible sin of omission. Bravo Elif!
You should do Alice Kober next! She played a heavy role in the decipherment of Linear B but got little to no credit for it. Micheal Ventris, the one who received the credit, even admitted that she would have been the one to decipher Linear B had it not been for her death. I read a book about her once and the process of decipherment was so incredible and fascinating it truly could not have been done without her, but like most women, she went unrecognized.
I am with you in admiration for Lou. How many women have been sidelined through history as the muse! ugh. I recently was reading the poetry of Lizzie Siddel, who was known only as the muse to Rosetti and the Pre-Raphaelites--never mind she was a painter and poet herself, and may have even originated the idea of the pre-raphaelites style. So many stories have been sidelined for the story of the genius man.
This reminds me of the way Margaret McDonald Mackintosh’s contribution (to put it no higher) to Charles Rene Mackintosh’s work forgotten. I read about her in Clare Hunter’s excellent Threads of Life.
Thank you for highlighting the stories of women like this in history who are forgotten in the history books x
Writer and archaeologist - love this. Thanks for the introduction to Salome - she sounds fascinating and now keen to read her letters with Freud.
Finally! Someone said it. Thank you, Elif, you’re an inspiration.
Thanks for this essay, you have covered a very interesting personality. Are you aware of a book about her?
what is the book called? I would like to read it.
Thank you for introducing me to this remarkable woman.
I love the phrase "through the prism of patriarchy"
Thank you for your research and tenacity.
Thank you!!!
Thank you for bringing women’s stories to the forefront! I now have a new internet rabbit hole I want to fall into when I have time 😍
I was lucky enough to find out more about her back in the 1990s, thanks to some great tutors at University (why do so many muses actually prove to have been innovative creatives and intellectuals in their own right? Aka why do so many female innovative creatives and intellectuals find themselves historically sidelined to be 'muses'? 🙄)
Thanks for the reminder Elif!
Thank you Elif.
Thank you. Such an important thing you are doing.