Amb. MICHALOWSKI, Poland - 2 wks
(Last name and pending date)

KISSINGER, HENRY A.

Name: Ambassador, Michalowski of Poland

Request: When the Ambassador saw HAK on Tuesday, February 3, HAK promised another appointment in the next two weeks to continue the second part of their discussion.

RSVP: Christine Kozera -- 234-0626

JTH's Recommendation:

HAK's Answer: yes - 2/5.

Date and Time: March 17 @ 5:00

Party Contacted: OK.

Additional Information: OBE - 11/16

Resolution:

RECEIVED

NOV 18 1970

CENTRAL FILES

(2)

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1970

# The Artistic Talents Of a U.S. Ambassador

By Jules B. Farber

THE HAGUE.—The U.S. ambassador to the Netherlands not only donated the stained glass rosette window unveiled in a Hague church a few weeks ago; he also helped to make it.

The window, about 9 feet in diameter, was the result of J. William Middendorf 2d's 12-month apprenticeship in the atelier of 70-year-old Joep Nicolas in Limburg.

"I saw this as a chance to delve into a dying Dutch art," Mr. Middendorf said of his offer of the window to The Hague's English and American Episcopal Church of St. John and St. Philip.

Mr. Middendorf, a former banker and Wall Street broker appointed to The Hague in June, 1969, checked with museum specialists and was told that the only great practitioner of the late Gothic style in stained-glass making left in Holland was Mr. Nicolas.

Soon after, Mr. Middendorf was in the middle of Joep Nicolas's studio almost every weekend, working in shirtsleeves and a big apron.

Although he calls himself "strictly a Sunday stained-glass artist," he has become reasonably adept in the skill of making the original cartoons, propping up the pieces to see a harmonious composite emerge, and painting, as well as brushing away, to achieve shadows and nuances.

"Joep taught me his own technique, which is world-famous of putting the window into the kiln only once after all the work is done. He uses a second grisaille—a thin mixture of copper oxide, gum arabic and water—and then brushes away to get the highlights. Four or five centuries ago, they had to put the glass into the kiln two or three times and couldn't

At a White House ceremony, President Nixon accepts Delft blue plate designed by Mr. Middendorf (right).

J. William Middendorff 2d's stained glass window.

make changes. At that pace, we'd still be working on the window.

"It took us four months to complete the rosette because Joep often stopped working to wait for me, since official duties regularly kept me from showing up to do my part. He was very patient with me. We took related Old and New Testament themes and used them in seven petals, outlined in heavy tracery surrounding a roundel with a dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Depicted in realistic style are the Lamb of God, the River and Water of Life, St. Philip and the Ethiopian, and the Baptism in the early Church. You'll see 16 shades of blue in the window, instead of the more usual all white for luminosity."

The window was the ambassador's second foray into Dutch art. Last year he took private lessons at Delft's 17th-century Porcelyne Fles factory "to learn the secrets of this beautiful porcelain. I wanted to be able to make it in the traditional manner."

Earlier this year, he sent President Nixon a Delft blue plate of his own design. "I had done the finished drawing but didn't yet dare paint the porcelain. I turned that over to a much more skilled craftsman," he said.

This Christmas he will give 50 plates bearing his design of a Madonna and Child to diplomats, friends and the President. The first plate in this limited edition was designed by Mr. Middendorf, then copied, glazed and baked by a Dutch artisan.

The ambassador, 46, who studied at the Art Students' League, has painted for more than 15 years.

He has long been interested in 17th-century Netherlands paintings, and his small collection of Rembrandt canvases, on loan to New York's Metropolitan Museum, are often reproduced in the major works on the great Dutch master.

Over the years he has also assembled an outstanding collection of historical prints which trace American print-making from 1670 to 1820. He wrote the introduction to a book published on this subject by the Smithsonian Institution Press. His print collection has been touring U.S. museums since 1969 and is currently on show at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

KISSINGER, HENRY A.

NOV 17 1970

Dear Artur:

Your warm letter of October 30th was most moving. I was very saddened to read of the recriminations which you have experienced. Such repression can certainly come to no good, and I do admire your strength in the face of such hardships.

I do hope that all goes well in getting your wife and daughter over here. Please keep me advised as to their progress.

I would definitely encourage you to seriously consider doing a book about your experiences. It is a part of life of which the youth of this country is so unaware.

We must certainly meet before long, and I promise you I will make room in my schedule no matter what happens the next time you are in Washington.

Mr. Artur Miedzyrzecki
International Writing Program
University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52240

DRY:lds:11/17/70

RECEIVED
NOV 20 1970

CENTRAL FILES

THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON

Dear ~~Mr. Miedzyrzecki~~

Thank you for your warm letter of October 30. I enjoyed hearing from you and am glad that everything is settling down for you in Iowa with your wife and daughter soon to join you. I had hoped to see you when you were in Washington but the way things were at the time it just couldn't be done. Hopefully, the next time you are here my schedule will cooperate to let us get together.

Mr. Artur Miedzyrzecki
University of Iowa
International Writing Program
Iowa City, Iowa 52240