The high-society painter who lived a double life in 1930s Britain
In short: Discover the secret life of a celebrated portrait painter who navigated the rigid social codes of the British Establishment while concealing her true identity.
In the 1930s, Gluck was a prominent figure in the British art world, commissioned to paint portraits for royalty, aristocrats, and celebrities. Despite her high-status career, she lived a clandestine life as a cross-dresser, often attending her own exhibitions while dressed as a man—ironically referring to them as 'one-man shows.'
Her private life was equally clandestine; her lovers were exclusively women, including notable figures like Constance Spry, a flower arranger for the stars, and Edith Heald, the former mistress of WB Yeats. The documentary explores how she managed to maintain her position within the elite social circles of the era while living so far outside its public norms.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Gluck - Who Did She Think He Was? (BBC)
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