The Getty Research Institute in L.A. just bought up dozens of Man Ray’s datebooks, adding more fascinating fragments of the artist’s life and prolific career to their already extensive collection. “The nude is always in fashion,” he writes in one book, adding that, “All that is modern today will be old-fashioned and ridiculous tomorrow. But some of the tricks of today may be the truths of tomorrow.” Several of the books purchased from a private New York collector contain more thoughtful observations, while others were used primarily as planners over the span of 27 years (1923 to 1940).
It seems unreal that someone would spend a day hanging out with André Breton, Picasso, and Hemingway (our liver hurts just thinking about it), but the American artist’s Parisian circle was impressive. The new acquisition means The Getty has the second biggest collection of Man Ray’s personal effects (the Centre Pompidou in Paris has the most). Hopefully we’ll be able to see the books firsthand soon. [via Culture Monster]