Poems by Iris TREE
TREE, Iris. Poems. London: John Lane, The Bodley Head, 1920.
First edition. Iris Tree's first book. Illustrated by Curtis Moffat (1887-1949), American visual artist and Tree’s first husband. This rare book encompasses Tree’s poetry from 1912-1919, and is notable for the war poems, a rare instance of female war poetry. The collection includes poems previously published in Vanity Fair and Wheels, an avant-garde poetry anthology edited by Edith Sitwell. Alongside Iris Tree, Wheels anthologized Nancy Cunard and Wilfred Owen.
Iris Beerbohm Tree (1897-1968) was an English poet, actress, adventuress, muse and modern woman. She was the daughter of the legendary actor and theater manager Herbert Beerbohm Tree, and the niece of the writer and caricaturist Max Beerbohm. Her best friends were Lady Diana Cooper (née Manners) and the rebel heiress, Nancy Cunard. Tree attended The Slade art school, where she became known as a bohemian and rebel. She was one of the first girls in England to appear with bobbed hair, and she wore dresses made from textiles woven in the Omega workshop and designed by Duncan Grant and Vanessa Bell. As an artist’s muse, Tree sat for a few members of the Bloomsbury group, including Dora Carrington, Roger Fry, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Augustus John produced several depictions of Iris Tree, including a stunning portrait painted circa 1920 capturing the sitter’s dazzling looks and attitude. One of the most striking representations of Tree is the 1915 bust by Jacob Epstein depicting her signature bob in polished bronze.
In the mid-1920s Iris toured the United States with Max Rheinhardt’s play The Miracle, starring in the nun role, while Diana Cooper played the part of the Madonna. Decades later Iris Tree appeared in Fellini’s La Dolce Vita, playing herself.
‘Iris Tree was the most truly Bohemian person I have ever known: totally unconcerned about public opinion, material matters and conventional society. Romance was the star she followed until the end of her days.’ (Daphne Fielding)
144 pp. Frontispiece (Head of Iris Tree by Jacob Epstein), 4 plates by Curtis Moffat. 8vo, original cloth, faint old stain to covers. Endpapers partially browned. Contemporary review of this volume tipped-in to front endpaper. An intriguing gift inscription to front pastedown and endpaper - ‘For the Frog Prince’s beloved mother. Christmas 1973. And who would have guessed that it would all end with a kitchen floor covered with burnt toast?’