Anita Brenner
Encyclopedia
Anita Brenner an author of children's literature and books on Mexican art
and history, was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico
. Her father, a Jewish emigrant to Mexico from Latvia
, moved his family back and forth from Mexico to Texas during the revolution. In 1916 the family settled in San Antonio, Texas
.
She returned to Mexico around the age of 18. After four years in Mexico City, she left for Columbia University
in 1927. At Columbia she aroused the ire of the influential Diana Trilling
who resented what she perceived as the disproportionate attention Brenner was given. She remained in New York City
for 17 years, returning to Mexico City in 1940, where she lived until her death thirty-four years later.
Brenner had been educated in the United States
for over a dozen years, but the Mexican Revolution shaped her thinking. She came to believe that the Revolution had been bound to happen due to the way the land-owners and politicians were running the country.
She wrote several books, but Idols behind Altars (her first book) and The Wind That Swept Mexico were the most influential and acclaimed. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
for "Fine Arts Research" in 1930 and 1931. Anita Brenner regarded this period of her life as "The Mexican Renaissance". She wrote about such artists as David Siqueiros, José Orozco, Diego Rivera
, Francisco Goitia
, Jean Charlot
, and others; many or most of whom she knew personally.
In 1955, Brenner established a monthly publication, Mexico/This Month. Her familiarity with both sides of the border gave her the expertise to make Mexico known to an English-speaking public. When the Mexican government awarded her the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor Mexico can award a non-national, she refused it, on the grounds that she was Mexican. She did accept a citation as a distinguished tourism pioneer awarded by former president Miguel Alemán Valdés
in 1967.
in Mexico City
, and Peter Glusker, a physician with a medical practice in Fort Bragg, California
.
: 1998; ISBN 978-0-292-72810-3) about her mother's life.
Mexican art
Mexican art consists of the various visual and plastic arts which developed over the geographical area now known as Mexico. The development of these arts roughly follow the history of Mexico, divided into the Mesoamerican era, the colonial period, with the period after the gaining of Independence...
and history, was born in Aguascalientes, Mexico
Aguascalientes, Mexico
Aguascalientes, Mexico, may refer to:*The state of Aguascalientes, one of the 32 component federal entities of the United Mexican States*Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, capital city of that state....
. Her father, a Jewish emigrant to Mexico from Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, moved his family back and forth from Mexico to Texas during the revolution. In 1916 the family settled in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
.
She returned to Mexico around the age of 18. After four years in Mexico City, she left for Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1927. At Columbia she aroused the ire of the influential Diana Trilling
Diana Trilling
Diana Trilling was an American literary critic and author, one of the New York Intellectuals. Born Diana Rubin, she married the literary and cultural critic Lionel Trilling in 1929....
who resented what she perceived as the disproportionate attention Brenner was given. She remained in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
for 17 years, returning to Mexico City in 1940, where she lived until her death thirty-four years later.
Brenner had been educated in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for over a dozen years, but the Mexican Revolution shaped her thinking. She came to believe that the Revolution had been bound to happen due to the way the land-owners and politicians were running the country.
She wrote several books, but Idols behind Altars (her first book) and The Wind That Swept Mexico were the most influential and acclaimed. She was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
for "Fine Arts Research" in 1930 and 1931. Anita Brenner regarded this period of her life as "The Mexican Renaissance". She wrote about such artists as David Siqueiros, José Orozco, Diego Rivera
Diego Rivera
Diego María de la Concepción Juan Nepomuceno Estanislao de la Rivera y Barrientos Acosta y Rodríguez was a prominent Mexican painter born in Guanajuato, Guanajuato, an active communist, and husband of Frida Kahlo . His large wall works in fresco helped establish the Mexican Mural Movement in...
, Francisco Goitia
Francisco Goitia
Francisco Bollaín y Goitia García was a realist painter from Fresnillo in the state of Zacatecas, Mexico.Goitia studied at the Academia de San Carlos in Mexico City from 1898 under the direction of German Gedovius, Jose Maria Velasco, Saturnino Herran and Julio Ruelas...
, Jean Charlot
Jean Charlot
Louis Henri Jean Charlot was a French painter and illustrator, active in Mexico and the United States. Charlot was born in Paris. His father, Henri, owned an import-export business and was a Russian-born émigré, albeit one who supported the Bolshevik cause. His mother Anna was herself an artist...
, and others; many or most of whom she knew personally.
In 1955, Brenner established a monthly publication, Mexico/This Month. Her familiarity with both sides of the border gave her the expertise to make Mexico known to an English-speaking public. When the Mexican government awarded her the Aztec Eagle, the highest honor Mexico can award a non-national, she refused it, on the grounds that she was Mexican. She did accept a citation as a distinguished tourism pioneer awarded by former president Miguel Alemán Valdés
Miguel Alemán Valdés
Miguel Alemán Valdés served as the President of Mexico from 1946 to 1952.-Life:Alemán was born in Sayula in the state of Veracruz as the son of General Miguel Alemán González and Tomasa Valdés Ledezma...
in 1967.
Marriage
Brenner married David Glusker, but her first priority was always to her work. Brenner was survived by two children, her daughter, Susannah Joel Glusker, who teaches at the Universidad IberoamericanaUniversidad Iberoamericana
The Ibero-American University is a Mexican private institution of higher education sponsored by the Society of Jesus...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, and Peter Glusker, a physician with a medical practice in Fort Bragg, California
Fort Bragg, California
Fort Bragg is a city located in coastal Mendocino County, California along State Route 1, the major north-south highway along the Pacific Coast. Fort Bragg is located west of Willits, at an elevation of 85 feet...
.
Death
She died in Aguascalientes, her place of birth, in an automobile accident in 1974, aged 69.Anita Brenner: A Mind of Her Own
Susannah Glusker wrote Anita Brenner: A Mind of Her Own (University of Texas PressUniversity of Texas Press
The University of Texas Press is a university press that is part of the University of Texas at Austin. Established in 1950, the Press publishes scholarly books in several areas, including Latin American studies, Texana, anthropology, U.S...
: 1998; ISBN 978-0-292-72810-3) about her mother's life.
External links
- Brenner biodata
- Anita Brenner: A Mind of Her Own
- Anita Brenner Collection at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas at AustinUniversity of Texas at AustinThe University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...