Laurence Vail

Laurence Vail (1891-1968) was an American poet and artist.

Life
Vail was born in Paris, the son of artist Eugène Vail. As a child, he frequently travelled throughout Europe with his father.

Vail studied at the University of Oxford. Afterward he returned to Paris, where he wrote, painted, and sculpted, living on an allowance provided by his father. He associated with artists Man Ray and Marcel Duchamp, and was nicknamed the "king of the bohemians". Peggy Guggenheim, described Vail, whom she met at this time, in her 1979 autobiography:
 * He was about twenty-eight at this time, and to me he appeared like someone out of another world. He was the first man I knew who never wore a hat. His beautiful, streaky golden hair streamed all over as the wind caught it. I was shocked by his freedom but fascinated at the same time... He was like a wild creature. He never seemed to care what people thought.

Vail married Guggenheim in 1922. The couple travelled in Egypt and Switzerland before settling at Pramousquier in the south of France. They had 2 children, Sinbad and Pegeen. Guggenheim began an affair with John Holmes in 1928, and left Vail; he subsequently wrote about their marriage in his 1932 novel, ''Murder! Murder!''

Vail moved to Paris, where he lived until the German invasion of France in World War II. He then moved to New York City (where he exhibited art with Duchamp at the Art of This Century Gallery). After the war, he returned to Paris, where he had solo exhibitions. He also exhibited at the Galleria del Cavallino in Venice, the Galleria del Naviglio in Milan and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He died in Paris.