Natalie Barney (1876-1972): Writer, salon hostess, and eternal friend. Interview with Jean Chalon

Abstract:This interview with French journalist Jean Chalon gives the reader a personal viewpoint of writer and salon hostess Natalie Clifford Barney (1876-1972). Barney's literary salon was iconic in expatriate Paris, spanning the years from 1909 to 1968. Chalon helps the reader to better understand the literary and social milieu that comprised Barney's world, as well as provides new information on her most intimate relationships. Chalon discusses her strained yet loving relationship with her father, who never accepted that she lived openly as a lesbian in Paris. In addition, Chalon also speaks about her friendship with literary giant Remy de Gourmont, as well as her lifelong relationship with artist Romaine Brooks and Janine Lahovary, Barney's last love. The interview is a testament to Natalie Barney herself, who cultivated friendships until the end and whose literary contributions are only now being reconsidered.