Alix Strachey

Alix Strachey (née Sargant-Florence)

Sitter in 32 portraits
Artist associated with 10 portraits
Born in New Jersey to the British painter Mary Florence and an American father, Alix Strachey became a principle figure of psychoanalysis and translator of Sigmund Freud's works. After studying modern languages at Newham College at the University of Cambridge, Strachey lived with her brother Philip Florence and was introduced to the Bloomsbury Set and her future husband James Strachey. A move to Vienna in 1920 encouraged the couple to undergo psychoanalysis and they became practising analysts themselves. Freud asked them to translate his works and the twenty-four volumes remain the definitive English translation of his work today. Strachey was also instrumental in encouraging Melanie Klein to explore her therapeutic techniques and theories in London.