Tina Modotti : between art and revolution / Letizia Argenteri

Includes bibliographical references (p. [305]-317) and index.

Tina Modotti's legacy is perhaps the most muddled of all the early 20th-century proto-feminists. Known best for her photographs of Mexican workers, her love affair with photographer Edward Weston, and her commitment to the Communist Party, Modotti (1896-1942) has been largely mythologized as a daring and ultimately self-destructive romantic. In the most comprehensive biography to date, Argenteri (history, San Diego Mesa Coll.) chooses merely to tell the details of Modotti's life, an invigorating approach that is accomplished with respect, authority, and ultimately great affection. This is most refreshing for Modotti fans, as much writing about her is tainted by the limits of each author's vision. An exception is Patricia Albers's Shadows, Fire, Snow, a good, more accessible companion to this work. Argenteri, who is multilingual, could read all but the Russian documents she unearthed, a remarkable feat when researching a subject so prone to wanderlust. An awestruck letter to Modotti is the historian's oddest contribution, but it does relate her struggle to grasp her elusive subject. Essential for comprehensive political history, large photography, and all women's history collections.