Inside Stein’s home and venue for her Salons at 27 Rue de Fleurus.

Today, our namesake, the writer, art collector and visionary would have been 140 years old. In her time, Gertrude Stein overcame prejudices against her gender, religion and sexuality to become one of the most influential figures in art, building a legendary personal art collection.

From her home in Paris, the American expatriate gathered some of the greatest minds of the modernist movement at her weekly salons, including Pablo Picasso, Ernest Hemingway, Henri Matisse, or F. Scott Fitzgerald. These salons facilitated a community of visionaries that eventually changed the shape of art as we know it today. They continue to inspire us here at Gertrude.

2014 will be Gertrude’s year once more. Our team resurfaced the Salon in New York City on December 2nd 2012, and we have been seeing the movement grow dramatically ever since thanks to your unconditional support. This year, we extend to other cities, add new forms of events and access with relentless focus on quality. We will not rest until the art world feels more like a Salon.

Happy 140th birthday, Gertrude.

What to Expect From Your First Gertrude Salon

Here at Gertrude we are trying to redefine the way we experience art. Therefore, if you’ve never attended a Salon before, you may not quite know what to expect. While the subject matter of each salon and the format may vary, there are certain features you can expect at any Gertrude Salon.

1. A Chance to Really Experience Art: Salons aim to give guests a truly immersive experience, different from the cold world of gallery shows. It’s not a static viewing of art but a chance to really understand the work shown in the warmth of discuss and in the light of the curator’s and the artist’s own words. By the way, we borrowed the term “Salon” from a long French tradition of informal gatherings around art.

2. Anyone can join: Because Salons facilitate learning and interacting about the artwork, they are open to all types of individuals, regardless of prior art knowledge. Salons are not merely events for those highly involved or connected in the art world but for anyone with an interest in art or who wishes to learn more about art. Our event pricing reflects this open attitude.

3. An Intimate Event: No Gertrude Salon will exceed 40 attendees. This figure ensures that the events maintain the conversational feel that defines the Salon experience.

4. An Interactive Event: Salons are discussions, not lectures. Because we keep our events small, attendees can both listen to and engage with the curator of the event, and most of the time the artist is present. The experience can be rewarding for anyone because such a discussionary environment allows the event to address the topics in which guests are most interested.

5. One hour only : Each salon must abide by specific rules; besides the cap on guests, the salon lasts 1 hour and the doors close 15 minutes after the start time. We are aware of attendees’ busy schedules and design our events for individuals who are interested in art, though not necessarily immersed in it, for people who have other things to do as well.

6. Premiere selection: But, rest assured that the time you spend at a Salon will be enriching. Our curators are hand selected for their level of expertise on the salon’s subject matter just as the location of the salon is chosen to best compliment the subject. We like to think they are today’s Gertrude Steins. Proof of the thought and knowledge that goes into creating our salons: we have worked with 4 out of “20 Young Artists to Collect,” which recently appeared in Architecture Daily.

7. Complimentary champagne: Many of our events include a complimentary glass of Pommery Champagne. Because nothing pairs better with good art and engaging conversation than an elegant glass of champagne.

Ready to try your first Salon? Browse Salons you find interesting and book online, we’ll see you there!