Beckett in Hamburg - 29th October 1936

Thursday, 29th October 1936

Margaritha Durrieu.

Margaritha Durrieu, a dazzling figure in Hamburg's society, born 1883 in
Esslingen, artistic ambitions. Her husband, resource importer Theodor Durrieu (1875-1967), had married her in second marriage and by her side he led an arguably unusual life for an "honourable import-export businessman from Hamburg".

An apartment well adorned with art.
All, pictures & drawings, flat, abstract & geometrical, in reaction to Expressionistic Kunterbunt. Hit badly by the movement.

MMargaritha surrounded herself with artists, mostly belonging to the "Hamburg
Secession" group, amused herself at their parties, supported many of them
during the world economic crisis and especially later on, when – upon the
dissolution of the "Secession" in March 1933 – they were increasingly hindered in
practising their art and were ultimately forbidden to exhibit at all.
Margaritha Durrieu brings Beckett in contact with Hamburg's painters.

Wohnung Durrieu, Pictures by Willi Baumeister

Mr. and Mrs. Durrieu, centre