Murray, Barry, and Lenny on Calvert Street in Detroit. 1953.
Me crossing my eyes for the family portrait at my brother Murray’s bar mitzvah. 1951.
My Bar Mitzvah. The dirty pictures are in my left back pocket. 1954.
Aunt Ada and Uncle Herman, 1949. Dirty pictures were hidden under the planter on right.
My first date, 1958, with Berta Weinberg at the Elmwood Casino in Windsor, Canada. On the bill that night, Sophie Tucker.
My alma mater. Cass Technical High School. Sadly demolished.
Me in Downtown Detroit, circa 1957.
High school graduation photo. 1958.
Working on a project for the Art Center School in Los Angeles. 1960. Note photos on wall of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel & Hardy.
Vapnjarka, Ukraine. My mother was born in the house on the left. My great grandmother stands in the door.
Family photo in Vapnjarka. My mother is the little girl in middle of front row holding the book.
Family photo in Detroit. 1950s. Man sitting on left can be seen in previous photo as child standing on right.
Laurel & Hardy in Cork, Ireland, 1953. In the middle, the Lord Mayor of Cork.
Circa 1960. Detroit.
My grandfather went first to Toledo, Ohio before settling in Detroit. Note, on window: Tables for Ladies.
Etienne Decroux, circa 1930s. Photo, Etienne Weill.
Etienne Decroux, circa 1970. Photo, Leonard Pitt.
Della Slayton
Della reads the bible to Homer.
Clarence and Sis.
Della in the Kitchen.
Della and Mary Lou.
Della and Mary Lou.
Della and Larny.
Mary Lou and Sis.
Mary Lou.
Mary Lou on couch.
Sis and Cat.
Lenny and Clarence.
Leonard Pitt in Palais Royal garden, circa 1964.
On the Queen Elizabeth sailing to Europe. October, 1962. Leonard in rear with pipe.
Shakespeare and Co.
16 Avenue de l’Opera. Elegant entrance to my monk’s cell. 1960s. Photo. L. Pitt.
Avenue de l’Opera. Note old platform bus. 1960s. Photo. L. Pitt.
Avenue de l’Opera. View towards Garnier opera. 1960s. Photo. L. Pitt.
View from window of my garret. Photo. L. Pitt.
At the Louvre.
In my kitchen.
My room seen from the door.
In my room demonstrating a lateral movement of the chest.
In my room.
Entrance to original cave of Lascaux. Now closed. Photo. L. Pitt.
In my room.
Miriam in my room.
My work desk. Photo, L. Pitt.
Selling New York Times on Place du Tertre.
Me and Decroux.
Me and Decroux.
Madame Georgette’s cafe next door to Decroux’s.
In Decroux’s studio.
Jeanine in my room. Photo, L. Pitt.
Jeanine from Corsica. Photo, L Pitt.
Under the Pont des Arts on a Sunday. Photo, L. Pitt.
In the Tuileries garden. Photo, L. Pitt.
Shakespeare & Co.
Seeing Decroux after a five year absence - 1975. On left, Mark Piper.
Seeing Decroux after a five year absence - 1975.
1975. In Decroux’s basement studio. In middle, Madame Decroux (the saint). Right, Vernice Klier. Far left, Mark piper. In gray turtleneck, Maximiilan Decroux. Front row: Left to right, Leonard, Denise Asselin, Thomas Leabhart, Jean Asselin. Photo, Sally Leabhart.
Pont des Arts. Photo, L. Pitt.
In my room.
Rue Mouffetard. 1969. Left, Miriam. Middle, Yves. Right, Bernadette. Photo, L. Pitt.
Place de la Concorde. 1963. Photo, Harrison Engle.
Tuileries Gardens.1963. Photo, Harrison Engle.
Tuileries Gardens.1963. Photo, Harrison Engle.
The Louvre. 1963. Photo, Harrison Engle.
La Grande Odalisque by Ingres, 1814.
Marie Camargo - shortened her dress, introduced the slipper, and devised the entrechat quatre.
Japanese Noh Theater.
Elvis Presley.
The Ballerina.
Montgolfier balloon in ascent over Lyon. 1784.
Performing children’s theater in Paris. Circa 1967.
On tour in Le Havre. Middle, Jean-Claude Sergant, right, Catherine Krier. Circa, 1967.
1967.
My garrett in green on Ave. de l’Opera near garden of Palais Royal.
In the garden of the Palais Royal.
Nun in Palais Royal garden. Photo, L. Pitt.
In the Palais Royal.
Palais Royal garden before being enclosed in 1786.
Garden is enclosed. The first passageway is constructed of wood and created a sensation. The arcade was born.
Prostitutes under the arcades.
From an English book - 1822 - singing the wonders of the Palais Royal.
Camille Desmoulins firing up the crowd. July 12, 1789.
Palais Royal Garden.
Palais Royal Garden.
Palais Royal Garden.
Grand Vefour in Palais Royal garden.
Photo, L. Pitt.
Interior Grand Vefour. Photo, L. Pitt.
Photo, L. Pitt.
Palais Royal Garden.
Palais Royal Garden.
The Pyramid by I.M. Pei in the courtyard of the Louvre.
Louvre. To right, statue of Gambetta, removed for Pei’s pyramid.
La Coupole- 1930s.
La Coupole. Photo, L. Pitt.
La Coupole. Photo, L. Pitt.
La Coupole. Photo, L. Pitt.
La Coupole. Photo, L. Pitt.
Pierrot Formerly Known as Gilles, Watteau
Café Procope. Photo, L. Pitt.
Robert Boyle.
African statue.
Louis Véron.
James Reese Europe
Flyer for James Reese Performance
Les Halles - meat section. Photo, L. Pitt.
Les Halles. Photo, L. Pitt.
Café de la Paix on Place de l'Opera
Café de la Paix.
Café de la Paix. I was sitting right here in the 1960s.
Same view today.
Café Helder on Blvd. des Italiens.
Boulevard Café.
Early boulevard, 17th century, with four rows of trees.
Map of boulevards. Green on right, Passage des Panoramas. Red Square, Café Frascati. Red dot, Café Riche. Parallel green lines in between, passageways. Blue, early opera house. It is here where Marie Taglioni debuted in La Sylphide.
Napoleon III
Fortress of Ham where Napoleon III was incarcerated.
The Commune. Massacre - Bloody Week, May 1871.
The Commune - 1871.
The Commune. City Hall.
The Commune. Palace of the Tuileries.
The Commune. Palace of the Tuileries.
Palace of the Tuileries before the Commune.
The Commune. Palace of the Tuileries behind the Arc du Carrousel.
The Commune. Porte Saint Martin on the boulevard.
The Commune. Palais de Justice.
Napoleon III surrenders to Kaiser Bismarck - 1870.
Simson Najovits at the Café Select.
Christine.
Simson Najovits at the Café Select.
Child Working in the Mines - 19th Century.
Central Park - 1863. An antidote to the malady of industrialized city living.
Factory grime.
Child labor.
Factory grime.
Skating in Central Park.
La Sylphide.
Leonard and early sculpture, circa 1965. Paris.
May, 1968.
May, 1968. Rue Guy Lussac.
May, 1968.
May, 1968.
May, 1968.
The struggle continues.
My room.
1970s in California.
Structure.
Front of structure.
Same structure from other end.
Structure.
Balsa wood and Japanese paper screens I made and sold for one dollar.
It all started from this cube with a pyramid inside.
Structure made large for Burning Man, 2004.
Structure made large for Burning Man, 2004.
Structure made large for Burning Man, 2004.
Structures.
Structure part.
Mask carved by my teacher, Ida Bagus Anom.
2019 Blake - Created with directed by George Coates -1977.
2019 Blake - Created with directed by George Coates -1977.
First class flyer, 1970.
Class flyer.
Class flyer.
Class, 1980s.
Doppo, Clown of Yesteryear. I carved the mask from redwood.
From first one man show, 1971.
1971.
1971.
1971.
1971.
Mask carved by my teacher, Ida Bagus Anom.
With mask carving teacher, Ida Bagus Anom.
With teacher, I Nyoman Kakul. Photo, Ana Daniel.
Leonard Performing in Bali. Photo, Ana Daniel.
Leonard Performing in Bali. Photo, Ana Daniel.
Dressing for a performance. Photo, Ana Daniel.
Leonard Performing in Bali. Photo, Ana Daniel.
Kakul and wife. Photo, L. Pitt.
Peliatan. My village.
The Way of How - 1982. George Coates Performance Works.
Review, Doppo, Clown of Yesteryear. 1979.
Review, Meantime. 1984.
Seduction. Two-person show with Ruth Zaporah. Directed by Rinde Eckert. 1997.
Review of Seduction, 1997.
Student group at Flying Actor Studio in San Francisco. Operated for 3 years with James Donlon. 2009-2112. Students enrolled for one year and attended classes 5 days a week.
Flying Actor studio.
Student performance at Flying Actor.
Student group at Flying Actor with guest teachers. John Gilkey, far right. Geoff Hoyle in front with beret.
The studio operated for three years, 2009-2112.
Ida Bagus Anom on left and Leonard on right, each holding the other's mask.
Louis XIV - Hyacinthe Rigaud.
Elvis Presley.
Isadora Duncan by Edward Steichen.
La Sylphide.
Loie Fuller onstage. From Scientific American magazine.
Loie Fuller.
Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Valentine Greatrakes, 17th c. Irish Healer.
Greatrakes by William Faithorne.
Jean Bodin high school in France.
Map of Ireland. Yelllow: where Greatrakes lived.
My book.
Robert Boyle.
Stubbe book.
Title page for A Brief Account.
Title Page for Wonders No Miracles.
Witch Burning.
Eco-Rap poster - 1992.
Eco-Rap concert 1991. Piero, Michael, Leonard
Press on Eco-Rap.1991.
Poster.
Spleenix, Directed by Ellen Sebastian Chang.
Spleenix, Directed by Ellen Sebastian Chang.
Not for Real.
Not for Real.
Not for Real.
Not for Real.
Meantime.
Leonard Pitt kissing a fan.
Ned. Solo show written by David Barth - 1991.
Leonard’s first book in window of Café de Flore. 2002.
Book section of Bazaar de l’Hotel de Ville.
My book featured in window on rue Charlemagne.
My book in bookstore window.
My book in bookstore window.
My Book with others.
My book, Paris Postcards The Golden Age.
Volume II.
Apartment block, Orgues de Flandre.
Les Halles.
Les Halles.
Les Halles.
Les Halles demolished.
Les Halles cops.
La Samaritaine before demolition.
Front de Seine.
Front de Seine.
Front de Seine.
Front de Seine.
Front de Seine.
Front de Seine.
Love locks.
Love Locks 2014.
Olympiades in XXth arrondisement.
Orrin Hein & Lenny.
Orrin Hein 1971.
La Samaritaine on Rue de Rivoli to be demolished.
Projected design for new Samaritaine facade.
Samaritaine GONE.
New Sorbonne campus at Jussieu.
Tour Paris 13 - 2014.
Tour Paris 13.
Tour Paris 13. Note line waiting to enter.
Tour Paris 13.
Tour Paris 13.
Le Plessis-Robinson. Before renovation.
Le Plessis-Robinson. Old market.
Le Plessis-Robinson. New market.
Le Plessis-Robinson.
Le Plessis-Robinson.
Humans walking.
Humans dissociating.
Humans dissociating.
Le Corbusier.
Philip Johnson.
Building on rue de Lyon next to the Opera Bastille.
Building on rue de Lyon next to the Opera Bastille.
Post office on rue de Sevres.
Les Olympiades.
Les Olympiades.
Near Métro Pelleport in 20th arrondissement.
Near Métro Pelleport in 20th arrondissement.
Corner rue Beaubourg, rue Rambuteau in Paris. Unspoken design principle of modern architecture: no column shall ever have a base or capital.
Corner rue Beaubourg, rue Rambuteau in Paris. Unspoken design principle of modern architecture: no column shall ever have a base or capital.
Japanese column with base and capital.
Aronoff Center for Design and Art, University of Cincinnati. By Peter Eisenman.
Aronoff Center for Design and Art, University of Cincinnati. By Peter Eisenman.
Aronoff Center for Design and Art, University of Cincinnati. By Peter Eisenman.
Peter Eisenman.
My cottage.
Cottage interior.
Cottage, 1996.
My Brain on Fire Chapter 23
My Brain on Fire Chapter 23
My Brain on Fire Chapter 23
My Brain on Fire Chapter 23
Junior Explorers in San Francisco Marina.
Victor and Dario enjoying the view for the first time.
Junior Explorers.
Jesus with his favorite book.
These boys had never seen the bay before.
Nettie.
Peppina Liano, school principal. Tough as nails, heart of gold.
David Rosenthal, school founder.
Jason seeing the bay up close for the first time.
Volunteer Marcelline with Kimberly.
My mother, 1920s.
My mother with little sister, Ada.
Grandfather on right in his grocery store in a former bank - 1936.
Parents, 1950s. Watercolor on right is mine.
My grandmother’s sister and her daughter. Lodz, Poland. Perished in the war.
Middle, my mother. Left, grandmother. Right, Arthur. Vapnyarka, Ukraine. She waited 13 years to rejoin my grandfather in Detroit.
Together in Detroit with little Ada.
Family wedding. 1950s. I’m on Henry’s lap. He was the sole survivor of his family after the war. We took him in to live with us. He later died, hit by a car crossing the street. Everyone thought it was survivor’s guilt. My brother Murray on left. In middle, grandparents, Morris and Esther. My mother in back, standing.
Family hardware store - 1956.
Last photo with my mother. 93 years. Murray left. Barry, middle. Me, right. Front left, Ina. Right, Jane.
Vacation in Canada. Early 1950s. Little brother Barry must have been napping.
My Brain on Fire Chapter 25
Six hours.
8 months.
At The Cheese Board.
Always cool.
Nap.
Just Woke Up.
Reading the New York Times.
Studying hard.
Loves his Irving Berlin.
Practicing his Chopin.
Going to a Gig.
Loves his New Books.
Going Home for a Good Read.
Enjoying his First Chocolate Croissant.
Intellectuals corner: Left, Daniel. Center, Mario. Right, Leonard.
A wonderful array of dark chocolate.
Pralus.
A La Mere de Famille.
Cluizel.
Debauve & Gallais.
Leonard and Francois Pralus in Paris on the day his shop opened. Each holds the other’s book. Both came out that day in Paris.
Fearless.
Cheese and chocolate tasting 2012.
Chocolate meeting 2015.
Angelina’s in Paris.
Chocolate club meeting 2011.
Chocolate club meeting 2014.
Chapter 1
Early Misery, Later Salvation
Chapter 2
Breaking Away
Chapter 3
Paris at Last
Chapter 4
Louis’s High Heels
Chapter 5
Pursuing the Dance
Chapter 6
The Fabulous Garden of the Palais Royal
Chapter 7
The English Lesson
Chapter 8
Richard’s Turtle
Chapter 9
Thrown Out of the Café
Chapter 10
The Spectacular Rise and Ignominious Fall of Napoleon III
Chapter 11
My Dinner with Simson
Chapter 12
Oceans of Black Ink
Chapter 13
My Fifteen Minutes of Fame
Chapter 14
Life After Paris
Chapter 15
Seeing the Patterns
Chapter 16
Chasing That Thought
Chapter 17
Eco-Rap
Chapter 18
Writing Paris
Chapter 19
The Future of Paris, Uh-oh
Chapter 20
The Key to a Brilliant Paris Future
Chapter 21
The Origins of the Aesthetic of Modern Architecture