2. Patchwork Of Mothers – Marlene Dietrich

Marlene Dietrich (in London, by Cecil Beaton, 1936) is the second square on my Patchwork Of Mothers, and she totally dominates the whole piece.

According to Wikipedia, her first job was playing the violin in the pit orchestra of a Berlin cinema. I hope this is true, such poetry in her ending up on the silver screen.

And talking of poetry, she wrote some.

Amazingly long career, 1910s-1980s. Take that Brucie.

She had one child, Maria. When, in 1948, Maria had her first baby, the pressed dubbed Dietrich, “The World’s most glamorous grandmother”.

Maria, herself, was an actress from a young age. She came out of semi-retirement to perform a cameo role, as Mrs. Rhinelander, in Bill Murray’s Scrooged (2001). I haven’t seen it.

The square was cut from What’s On, March-May 2016, National Portrait Gallery. Condé Nast Publications. I rescued it from a pulping.

You can see the rest of the piece here, or follow my progress on Instagram.