Feb. 11, 1941

Dear Georgia,

I haven't heard from you since I wrote that I'd be leaving for Mexico. I shall probably leave next Monday, the 17th. I have finished all of my work and father has it, both the written part and the drawings. I think the writing is not bad, though I might do better by keeping my ideas to myself.

As to the house, the floor in my room is waxed. As I love little to do, I can go over it again before leaving. There has been a further landslide in the room next to the garage. We are having more bad weather. The road out to the gate is beyond description. Arthur Pack has Archie and another man working on it continually and they just keep even. The sky continues not so bad. Last night was full moon. It was all right. Snow is still everywhere. Estimators locally think the ground will be clear and hard by the middle of March, but then it generally snows again in March. You can go walking any time before 8 a.m. After that it is too mushy.

Saturday night the Ski Club of El Rito had a dance- mainly Anglo, and there was a boxing match - Spanish American - at the same time, all in Abiquiu. It was nice. I went to the dance but didn't dance. Also circulated a little with my friend the undertaker, Charley Roessler. He wasn't having much fun at the dance. He thinks it's because he is a "Leetle beet dark complected" says he showing you his wrist. The melting pot doesn't melt so well here about. It was a quiet evening. One auto accident resulting in a broken arm and nose, and sundry clashes otherwise. I spent the night at Bode's and finally met Mrs. Bode and Father Bickhaus, from El Rito and Cologne.

My plan is to go to Mexico for a possible two months, then if the call of Abiquiu is sufficient, I shall return.

Paul Jones has the McBride article on your show, which was disgracfully amusing. I hoped to glean some idea from it about the show, but all he talked about was what I knew about. I don't suppose it was an article to Alfrids taste. That is if he still has taste to taste.

So here I go ----

and when do you leave for Bermuda -- love

Georgia O'Keeffe
Abiqui
New Mexico

(2)

and control, has read herself into the picture of Stieglitz activities to a remarkable extent. In fact in a historical sense she knows more about it than any one of us and perhaps several of us together. In addition to this she has gone a long way towards a catalogue of the prints, using Leica shots as a means of identification. Miss Bry loves the work and has gone ahead so far without seeing where it would ultimately lead and how long it could be continued.

Georgia has so far backed her and paid her salary as well as spending hours explaining details and suggesting sources. I feel that it is at the same time too much of an effort for Georgia to face alone, both financially and personally. It interferes with her painting and, as I feel Stieglitz would have said, the living artist is of more importance than records.

Therefore I feel that if the money can be assembled and the work completely turned over to Yale, under Yale's supervision, at a fair salary, Miss Bry should be allowed to finish her job of the print catalogue and do the documents catalogue. Time will be lost if any one else tries to do it and by time I mean a matter of years rather than months.

I feel very strange about writing you all of this from such a distance and after having been out of the picture for so long. The writing of letters etc connected with collecting a last $20,000 so that Stieglitz work can be wound up (for it can never be completed), I would be quite willing to assume. I imagine that institutions should first be approached, then collectors, then sympathetic individuals and family. I will do whatever I can. But I think that you are better placed and in easier contact with Georgia and others who may be interested. Therefore please don't hesitate to call on me if you feel I can help either in detail or by taking the responsibility of soliciting the fund.

Most cordially yours

copies to Georgia O'Keeffe and Allen Priest.

Aix en Provence

June 1, 1952

Dear Doris,

As I went into my thoughts on the general situation in my
original letter to Mr. Shhubart I shant go into that part of the analysis
of your and Mr Gallups conversation which considers other possibilities
than that of a fund being established.

Considering the "Work Projects to be done under a Fund", all
of the four points are very well considered and should obviously be the
principal, if not the only uses of the fund.

As to the "long range projects", I dont think they should be as
done by a fund. The first (publication of a catalogue of the Stieglitz
Collection of paintings) is of little interest. It would be of interest
that a correct catalogue of same exists at Yale but it need not be published.

The second (publication of the Seligman mscept.) leads into the
kind of thing that Stieglitz did and probably merits publication. It does
not, however, advance the principal aim of the fund which should be
satisfactory one of organizing already existent material. If the mscept. is
so good could not some literary or University press publish it as of
general interest?

The third( research etc. concerning Stieglitz photos is a
job that could very well go on for years without getting anywhere. Partic-
ularly if anexcellent pair of eyes, namely those of Miss O'Keeffe, were
to judge the results.

Of the long range projects the fourth (purchase of archive
material) is certainly justified under the fund. The objection to it is
certainly that which you mention. Could it be hooked on as an employment
of any of the fund which remains if (with a very big if) any remains.

I agree that Yale Museum should do the fifth (Purchase of
prints and paintings) It is to their interest as they are the ones who
are going to feel silly having the archives and no example of the work.
Yale Museum should either spend the money orfind the alumni who will.

resume

In REMEM I would say roughly that the aim of the fund was to
organise and collect the documents concerning Stieglitz efforts both in
behalf of photography and painting, and in behalf of American culture
in general. I would then give a brief but fairly complete cutline of what
these efforts were. I would then state the four principal work projects
and the employment of any residue after these are accomplished.

Please consider these suggestions as, particularly the last
paragraph, as an attempt from this great distance, to help you in finding
the right solution. It is possible that I am wrong in not going into greater
detail about your paper but I strictly dont want to cause confusion.

PRESS RELEASE

FROM THE PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT OF

Associated American Artists Galleries
711 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK 22, N. Y.

Lucile McLean - Plaza 5-0711
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12-52

Associated American Artists Galleries, 711 Fifth Avenue will exhibit the first one man show of William Einstein since his showing at "An American Place" in 1936. The show will extend from January 5 through January 24.

In 1950 the group show "Peintures et Sculptures Lisible" caused lengthy discussion and much excitement within the French art world for its strong assertion for "readable" art as opposed to abstractionism. William Einstein conceived and collected the show as well as being a major contributor. This event climaxed for Einstein the development of sixteen years of thought and work. Twenty-one years ago, as an abstractionist, he and Helion, armed with reproductions of abstract work, went to Russia to show them this school.

And after Russia this rising abstractionist returned to America and rejected art completely. 1933 found him on wall street, married and living in Gramercy Park. In 1934 he returned to painting and found in Steiglitz a great inspiration for his fresh approach to art. Two years later Steiglitz gave him his first one man show. Then began a long friendship with Georgia O'Keeffe, and he established residence in Abiguiu, New Mexico, his legal American home today.

He spent the early forties in the Army, was demobilized in Paris, and worked for a year as art critic for the Paris edition of the Herald Tribune. Since 1947 his French home has been Aix-en-Provence where he lives with his wife and recently a new baby.

His own most harsh critic, this show represents a selection of twenty-odd paintings and a group of drawings he has completed in the past six years.

###

Drawings & Prints · 1952

consisting of works selected by jury in the third
of a series of national competitions sponsored by
the Museum for contemporary American artists.
On Thursday evening, December fourth, from
eight until eleven o'clock.

THIS CARD WILL ADMIT TWO

Great Northern Hotel
118 West 57th Street
New York 19, New York

January 19, 1953

Mr. Peter C. Berardinelli
Vice President
The First National Bank of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico

Dear Mr. Berardinelli:

My wife and I recently moved to Abiquiu, New Mexico, and want to open a checking account at your Bank in the name of William Einstein and/or Josiane Einstein.

Miss Georgia O'Keeffe of Abiquiu gave me your name.

I formerly lived in St. Louis, Missouri, and have an account there at the Security National Bank, which I shall close down and move to Santa Fe.

My wife and I travel a great deal, as I am an artist (painter) and must do so in connection with my work.

Would you send me the necessary papers to the above address as rapidly as possible, as we leave shortly for Europe.

Abiquiu, New Mexico

December, 1952

Einstein is one of us who went away to
that Shangri-La that I have always only heard about -
France. However, he is one who always returns. He
has always been telling me how much better the food
is there than here, and that seems to be the most
important thing. Yes, that is very important.

This year he returns to visit me with a
French wife that I can not talk to, and a lot of new
pictures to show that I have not seen. He is almost
the only painter that I really enjoy talking with
about painting, but I don't know many painters. I
have a speaking acquaintance with many. I know very
few.

I know that Einstein has a way of his own
about seeing the world and the people he lives among.
It isn't my way. It often makes me shiver. It is
lenient and understanding, but at the same time cruel -
bordering on an ingenious kind of caricature. He is
one of the most entertaining people I know. When he
lived for some years in this country, Stieglitz and I
were both very fond of him. When he left no one asked
us where he had gone. I always had a notion it was
because he was so warmly lenient when he liked you -
was so sharp with his tongue when he didn't like you -
was always busy - did very little sitting around except
at the bars and was really thoroughly informed about
the things that interested him.

The seeming inhumaness of life that often
upsets many of us, he thinks very normal - and it is -
but I can not get myself to use the words "nice" and
"lovely" in relation to it as he does. His work and
his feeling for the world are the same.

The paintings and drawings will undoubtedly
be very human, sympathetic and disturbing.

Abiquiu, New Mexico

December, 1952

The seeming inhumanness of life that often
upsets many of us, he thinks very normal - and it is -
but I can not get myself to use the words "nice" and
"lovely" in relation to it as he does. His work and
his feeling for the world are the same.

WILLIAM EINSTEIN

Einstein is one of us who went away to that Shangri-La that I have always only heard about — France. However, he is one who always returns. He has always been telling me how much better the food is there than here, and that seems to be the most important thing. Yes, that is very important.

I know that Einstein has a way of his own about seeing the world and the people he lives among. It isn't my way. It often makes me shiver. It is lenient and understanding, but at the same time cruel— bordering on an ingenious kind of caricature. He is one of the most entertaining people I know. When he lived for some years in this country, Stieglitz and I were both very fond of him. When he left no one asked us where he had gone. I always had a notion it was because he was so warmly lenient when he liked you—was so sharp with his tongue when he didn't like you—was always busy—did very little sitting around except at the bars and was really thoroughly informed about the things that interested him.

The seeming inhumanness of life that often upsets many of us, he thinks very normal—and it is—but I can not get myself to use the words "nice" and "lovely" in relation to it as he does. His work and his feeling for the world are the same.

Georgia O'Keeffe

CATALOG

1. BIF—THE MECHANIC

2. THE NEIGHBORS

3. MME. CICCONE AND
HER FAMILY

4. THE ICEMAN ON THE
COURS MIRABEAU

5. OLD STOVE

6. KITCHEN CORNER

7. CARPENTER SHOP

8. THE SICK DOG

9. FOS SUR MER

10. STONE MASON

11. WOMAN'S HEAD

12. WORK IN THE SUN

13. YOUNG FRANCE

14. LA BELOTTE

15. PORTRAIT

16. HEAD OF JUDGE

17. JUGE D'INSTRUCTION

18. OLIVE TREES

19. BIF DRESSED UP

20. COCK

21. ENTRANCE TO THE
CHATEAU OF THOLONET

22. PROFILE OF ANNE

23. LAZINESS

A GROUP OF DRAWINGS

THE
*Associated American Artists*

cordially invite you and your friends to the
opening of an exhibition of paintings and drawings by

WILLIAM EINSTEIN

and to a reception to meet the artist

on Monday afternoon, January 5th

from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M.

in the galleries at 711 Fifth Avenue, New York

The exhibition will continue through January 24

THE
Associated American Artists

WILLIAM EINSTEIN

from 4:30 to 6:30 P.M.

AMIENS (Somme)
Cathédrale Notre-Dame
Cloture du Chœur (fin XVe s.)
Histoire de Saint-Firmin
Tombeau de Ferry de Beauvoir

Service Commercial Monuments Historiques
Crand Palais - Avenue Alexandre-III - Paris

We (Soriano & D) were at Beauvoir this morning then here - Which is much better than we remembered - particularly because today it isn't freezing-and that helps too Ernst

Pengia O'Keeffe
Abigše
Río Arriba County
New Mexico

PHOTO
VERITABLE

USA

80 021 40 6102

GALERIE GUÉNÉGAUD

RUE MAZARINE - RUE GUÉNÉGAUD 35 - PARIS 6e - TÉL. ODÉON 22-40

“La Provence”

ABDUL - P. AMBROGIANI - Y. BRAYER - CÉZANNE
CHABAUD - CHAPLAIN-MIDY - DERAIN - DEVOUCOUX
NICOLE DEVRAIGNE - W. EINSTEIN - G. GUÉRIN
GUIGNEBERT - KISLING - P. M. LACROIX - A. MARCHAND
MARTIN ROCH - MERAUD GUEVARA - MONTICELLI
R. OUDOT - PLANSON - PRADIER - VAN RISSELBERGHE
SIGNAC - J. E. SILLY - TAL-COAT - R. W. THOMAS
VALOTTON - VENARD - NINA VIDROVITCH
SCULPTURES DE A. ARBUS ET SÉRAPHIN GILLY

Du 20 octobre au 30 octobre

VERNISSAGE LE MERCREDI 20 OCTOBRE à 17 H.

SOUS LA PRÉSIDENCE OFFICIELLE DU DOCTEUR BERNARD LAFAY
PRÉSIDENT DU CONSEIL MUNICIPAL DE PARIS.