Key West Years

11.75” x 13.25”, Watercolor on Paper

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If there was ever a home that protected Hemingway’s creative spirit, it was his Key West house. Imagination doesn’t flow well through 18-inch limestone walls, and Papa knew this. So he was always mindful to keep the window open.

In 1928, Ernest and his new wife Pauline traveled to Key West for deep-sea fishing and fell in love with the sleepy little town. Three years later they would buy the home at 907 Whitehead Street. For Ernest, the home became his perfect muse. The large, arched windows would have their beautiful green shutters open, letting in the light and sounds of Key West.

From our outside view, we see his open-air studio. From inside his room, he felt the tropical breezes from the trade winds, listening to the tall swaying coconut palms rustling. As Ernest’s designated writing spot, everything around him would become an inspiration, including his six-toed companions. From this small studio in Key West, he would have his most prolific years, writing books like For Whom the Bell Tolls and To Have and To Have Not, changing modern literature forever.