Oskar Kokoschka and Alma Mahler

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Notes

Hans Bellmer (1902–1975) was an artist known for his erotic, adolescent female dolls. Bellmer was influenced by the writings and work of Kokoschka, and Bellmer’s dolls were welcomed by some of the surrealists. In the New York Times Magazine (July 28, 2009, pages 19–21) Lisa Katayama described a current Japanese cultural phenomenon. Some men use body-pillow girl friends, based on comic book characters for a relationship, replacing a live girl. One man reported being so obsessed with his mannequin that he couldn’t imagine life without her, stating, “When I die, I want to be buried with her in my arms.” A man may have flings with several dolls with or without sexual consummation, while for some the doll is a fixated sexual life style. The dolls may be purchased readymade or made to order.

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Notes on contributors

Harold P. Blum

Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Medical College, New York University, Training and Supervising Analyst, The Institute for Psychoanalytic Education, affiliated with New York University, Executive Director, Sigmund Freud Archives.