Home is where the (He)Art is: Margaret Anderson and Isadora Duncan, Two Undomesticated Art Lovers

Abstract

The purpose of this essay is to bring together the autobiographies of two remarkable women who developed their artistic talents in the first decades of the 20th century: Margaret C. Anderson, the editor of The Little Review, and Isadora Duncan, the innovative dancer. The analysis of their life narratives shows how, beyond temporal coincidence, and an independent attitude towards social conventions, both women shared a rejection of established canons of family life which led them to portray a model of domesticity quite different to that expected by Victorian standards. This is especially reflected in their particular attitude towards the places and houses they inhabited, in their manifold travels —both of them embarked on a life-changing journey to Europe, and in their economic mismanagement. Theirs was a constant longing for art and beauty, which may explain why they present a different model of womanhood from that of the women of their time.