SOCIETE ANONYME MUSEUM OF MODERN ART : 1920

c.o.

September 23, 1948

Dear Mr. Ezubas:

I want to tell you once more what pleasure your water
colors gave me, which you showed me the other day when
you came to see me.

I was tremendously impressed, both by your color and
by the rare quality of technique which you have developed
in your water colors, and which, I should think, would be
of great inspiration to any group of students you
might have.

Your many years at The Bauhaus, where the students receive
training along so many lines in the expression of art,
makes me feel that any school of art would be most happy
to have you on its staff, for in my judgment, art should
be translated into all the various expressions as they
touch life. Unless we make people conscious that art
can find an expression along so many different lines, we
will never develop what is so essential to any country -
an appreciation and an understanding of what makes art.

With all best wishes, believe me,

KSD/cn

OCT. 15th 1948

Dear Miss Dreier,

I am very sorry that our letters must have crossed, in addition to this confusion. I usually get my mail about three days later as it should be.

I sincerely hope you will forgive me this temporary chaos. I have to be in Redding this coming weekend and will be very happy to come to Milford on Friday to meet Duchamp and talk about your planned book. I have already talked to Dr. Runes at the Philosophical Library and he is anxious to see the material. I hope I can be helpful to place the book at an early date.

SOCIETE ANONYME MUSEUM OF MODERN ART: 1920

c.o.

November 10, 1948

Mr. Friedbebold DZubas
R. F. D. 1
Bethel, Connecticut

Dear Mr. DZubas:

I wonder whether my letter to you in care of von Magerstadt, 88 Horatius Street, crossed with yours, or whether I addressed my letter to you at 80 Horatius Street and you did not receive it. For, in this letter, I wrote and asked whether you could come up on Friday, the 19th, to bring some of your water colors to show both Duchamp and me so that we can make a selection for the Collection of the Société Anonyme.

I also asked whether I should mail you my material for the Trowbridge Lectures, or whether I should give it to you when you come on the 19th.

I had a letter from Mr. Coward telling me that the estimate for 3,000 copies of the Trowbridge Lecture Book would be size 7¼x10 trim, a text for 64 pages to which should be added 14 pages of half-tones representing 20 cuts. The cost really comprises half-tone plates, cuts, wrappers, printing, etc., which came to $482.00. The binding on 1,000 lot, he estimated at 35¢ a copy.

I thought you would like to know these figures, though I hope they can be reduced, and I still hope that the Philosophical Library Publication could still bring out these for the spring. I hope that we can bring it out in as nice an edition as Mr. Coward would have done, for a little less money, and I think we have some of the cuts - in fact I thought we had more, but I don't seem to be able to find them.

Do you think, with all you have to do, that you can still squeeze in this work of placing the Trowbridge Lectures to be published, for I would like to have them out by spring, and I think if they are published by an organization that distributes, they will be of greater value to the community.

Again thanking you for all your cooperation, and hoping that you and I can meet together before you leave, and that you can be with Duchamp and me on the 19th, believe me,

KSD/on

P.S. Mrs. LaTour left the impression on my mind that Dr. Hope had told her that he had engaged you for the spring term at the Indiana University and that you expected to be West for about two years. I am both glad and sorry, for I had been so happy in meeting you and thinking you as one of my neighbors.

December 6, 1948

Dear Mr. DZubas:

I am enclosing a copy of my letter to Hollis H. Holbrook, Head of the Department of Art in the University of Florida, Gainesville.

It may be of help that I am also the sister in law of
Colonel Robins, who is considered one of the most important
citizens of Florida and has often spoken at the University.

I have been wondering what has happened to you and why you
haven't let me hear from you, and where is the little play
by Picasso which you so kindly said you would send me, and
what has happened to the Trowbridge Lectures of 1948?

Somehow I had hoped you would send me some message when you
saw Onya La Tour Sunday, a week ago, at the opening of the
Burlington Exhibition. What makes you vanish quite so com-
pletely? Even a post card would be better than silence,
for it would give me a feeling that you were bearing in
mind your promise, even though it was delayed.

What happened to the situation at the University of Indiana?
I thought that had been an assured position, and so I was
rather surprised to receive this letter from Mr. Holbrook.

With all best wishes, and hoping that you will write me,
believe me,

KSD/cn

Mr. Friedebold DZubas
c/o Von Magerstadt
88 Horatio Street
New York, New York

SOCIETE ANONYME; MUSEUM OF MODERN ART; 1920

C.O.

December 6, 1948

Mr. Hollis H. Holbrook, Head
Department of Art
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

Dear Mr. Holbrook:

I don't think that any university can do better than to-engage
Mr. Friedebold DZubas for a position to teach basic design in art.

Mr. DZubas has been trained by The Bauhaus, and is one of their last pupils. Personally, his taste runs along classical lines, which gives a very sound foundation combined with the modern spirit of The Bauhaus. He came to this country some eight years ago and was able to support himself, and to marry on the layouts of books as a free lance for various publishers. In my judgment, this showed both character and great ability. But the urge to center on his painting has made him decide to change his profession to that of teacher to enable him to have sufficient time to do his own creative work.

You may know about the famous Collection of the Société Anonyme now a part of Yale University. Both Mr. Duchamp and I, former trustees of this Collection, were so impressed by the quality of Mr. DZubas' water colors that we decided to include them in our Collection, though the Collection is practically closed and we are working on the final catalogue, which is to be brought out at the end of next year.

Both Mr. Duchamp and I know of few painters of today, whether of the old school or new, who have so highly a developed color sense, which is a quality especially rare to be found among the present painters of America. His influence, therefore, would be very fine and distinguished and would bring credit to your university.

I was especially interested in receiving your letter, since I have heard from my brother in law, Colonel Raymond Robins of Chinsegut, Brookeville, Florida, so much about the university. And I was delighted to find that they have a School of Architecture and Allied Arts, for of course Colonel Robins' interest is in politics and economics.

KSD/cn

P. S. There was some delay in your letter reaching me, for as the enclosed envelope shows, it first went to the Museum of Modern Art, and then to Yale before it reached me.

December 15, 1948

Dear Mr. DZubas:

Your letter without date crossed with mine, and as I have
been living through very hectic days, it is only tonight that
I can take up the various questions in your letter. I am,
therefore, writing two letters to you - one personal, and one
regarding the transaction with the Philosophical Library.

First let me congratulate you that Rose Fried is going to
give you an exhibition, for when she is enthusiastic about the
work of anybody, I feel that she knows how to make other
people love them and want to own them.

I still am at a loss to know whether, in February, you are
going to be a teacher in the Art Department of the University
of Indiana at Bloomfield. Onya La Tour was under the im-
pression that you were, so I did not mention that you had
applied in Florida and that I had written a letter of
recommendation.

Onya La Tour had somebody break into her house, and so she
left me last Saturday to find out whether any damage had
been done or not, and whether it had actually been broken
into by a person or whether the wind and rain had done this.

You will be interested in knowing that Walter Kamys came up
the other day and brought us a number of his paintings.
Everybody who has seen them has also been very much impressed,
and Duchamp and I are very happy to have added you two
"youngsters" to our collection. We are most happy about this.

KSD/cn

Mr. Friedebold DZubas
3327 Carrollton
Indianapolis, Indiana

-2-

8. No mention was made as to whether he desired any of the cuts which we could put at his disposal, or whether he prefers to make new ones.

My contact with publishers does not make me feel that Dr. Runes is any more commercial than any of them - in fact, I think his allowing me to sell the 600 copies for whatever price I care to ask is a very generous offer, if that is all that is demanded of me, depending, of course, entirely on the type of book he will publish, but judging from those I have seen which he has brought out are very satisfactory. I would, therefore, be very glad to arrange for the publication through him, of the Trowbridge Lectures, if my only responsibility is the 600 copies.

I will not come to a definite decision until you have answered this letter and clarified those points which confuse me, and also, may I ask whether Dr. Runes expects to bring it out in his spring publication.

Thanking you very much for the interest you have taken in having this book placed, and being very happy at your suggestion that Dr. Runes "seems to sense that the material is very good and unusual". Indeed, I want to keep in touch with you, for I have appreciated very deeply your cooperation.

With all best wishes to you and your wife, believe me,

Cordially yours,

Katherine S. Dreier
President

KSD/cn

December 27, 1948

Dear Mr. DZubas:

I was so glad to receive your letter of December 21st, according to the stamp, for all you wrote was "December 1948" when this was the second letter in December 1948 you wrote me. I must jack you up and not let you become too much of a dreamer!

I can well understand that you are passing through a very difficult period, and especially the adjusting to the responsibilities which you are assuming as teacher, but I am going to suggest something to you, and that is that everybody cannot be a great artist or even a commonplace artist, even if they attend art classes, but they can all learn to value and appreciate art.

This appreciation of the importance of art to live, you can only establish if you relate art to life and make them feel that it is a force which finds its expression in all forms of life. Therefore, when I was teaching for one year at the Weylister Junior College, I emphasized the principles of art and showed how they could be applied to such commonplace outer expression as clothes and housing, etc., etc., even to the setting of a table. I don't know whether you know my book, "Western Art in the New Era", but if you don't, I would suggest your getting a copy, for the first chapters deal with the importance of art as a developing force in man. When the young people realized how art could be applied to every-day living, their interest deepened very much. It was not something obtuse and apart from life, but a living force in the meadow of life.

I am afraid, from the way you wrote me, that you would isolate them from art and it would be too difficult for them to immediately grasp. Maybe after a year or two, you will find three or four who would have an understanding which was not assumed but was really part of themselves. We must never forget that we must not impose our conception of life or art on anybody, and one of the terrible effects we are suffering from was that during the last part of the last century, and the early part of this, most teachers tried to make little followers of their form of expression in art instead of teaching art, leaving each person free to choose the path they want to follow.

Walter Kamys came to see me the other day and met Duchamp, and we were very much interested in him. He finds it very hard to teach because it is his means of livelihood. I told him to forget that and take the attitude of the missionary who is going out into the world to comfort people to the beauty that exists around them. I would suggest the same with you, and when our attitude is that of the missionary we become impersonal and yet we are true to the highest form of our concepts of life and art. I am talking of consecrated missionaries, not bread and butter missionaries.

It was for the reason that art should be a part of life - daily life - that I feel that the lay-out of books can bring a consciousness of art into every-day living. I, therefore, do not despise any form in which art can be expressed. I do not feel it need only be expressed in painting, but to awaken a consciousness in our people it must be a part of every-day life.

-2-

I decided to write direct to Dr. Runes, and I am enclosing a copy so that you know what I have written. Now we will see what his reply will be and let us hope that our wish will be fulfilled and that he will be the one, because of his power of distribution, to take over this book.

Thank you indeed for telling the German publisher to send me notices of what is happening in Germany, and let me tell you that it will be a great pleasure to me always to keep in touch with you, and when I can, I shall indeed be writing you in answer to whatever letters you write me.

I am afraid my Christmas card will even follow this letter, as there was an upheaval just before Christmas which created a great deal of extra work. You will be interested to know that Onya La Tour left to see what damage had been done to her home, when neighbors wrote her that her one window had been broken into but could not mention whether it was a storm or burglary. She got home safely and found everything was in order, and is now on her way to California.

Hoping that you and your little family have had a beautiful Christmas, believe me with all the very best wishes,

KSD/cn

Mr. Friedebald DZubas
3327 Carrollton
Indianapolis 5, Indiana

January 24, 1949

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

Your two paintings arrived, and I took them with me to the Yale University Art
Gallery to unpack and to show them immediately, for you know how enthusiastic
I was about them.

Alas, the glass of the large one was cracked, and before replacing it we want
to know whether you had insured it or not, as we could not judge from the
wrappings.

Everybody was both impressed, as well as happy, at the thought that this
beautiful painting should be in our Collection, and we are especially happy
that it arrived when it did for the opening of the Exhibition of New Acquisitions
at Yale, which will open on February 22nd.

Now as to the smaller one. I am a little distressed to have to write you that
the frame does not meet the situation at all. And I am wondering whether you
have signed it since we selected it, or before, which I almost doubt, since my
recollection is so vivid in its being oblong and not upright. Where you have
placed your signature is so evident that it is an upright and not an oblong that
I am puzzled, for it has changed, not only the composition, but also the forms
which that composition takes. The color, of course, is as beautiful as always,
but I cannot reconcile myself to these forms as they now are in its upright
position. Also, the large mat which it had when you showed it to us brought out
the color and modified the forms.

May I make a suggestion - that you send us two or three unframed paintings of
that size and, if you have them, with that coloring, for Mr. Duchamp and me to
make a second selection to replace the small one you sent this time.

Do try and do this in time for us to have it framed and also exhibited at the
Exhibition of New Acquisitions which opens on February 22nd.

Please don't let this incident disturb you in any way, but I do want to protect
you and bring out the very best in this first important exhibition which is
being held.

I can return the little one to you, or I can give it to Rose Fried to hold till
your exhibition takes place this spring, for you must realize, as well as I,
that this picture of yours will affect people differently. I have never for-
gotten my selections of the paintings by Villon which I made and showed in
New York in 1922. Brummer made a later selection and chose the ones which I
had rejected. Yet, he sold every one of them and we did not sell one. That,
of course, was not alone the pictures, but Mr. Brummer's connection in contrast
to what mine was.

-2-

I wonder if you are on your way to Florida. How strange Dr. Hope was to
change his mind within a few days, and how odd to have preferred a young
instructor from the Cooper Institute to one who had made such a success in
the business world, which would enable you to draw attention to certain
aspects which would be of tremendous value to the students. I know, per-
sonally, that if I had had the advice from my teacher regarding the handling
of my paintings professionally, my story would have been quite a different
one. And that is a great contribution that you can make to your students -
to show them how they can meet the commercial side of life - and we all must
live.

As soon as you are settled in Florida, I hope you will be able to go over to
Chinsegut, which is not so very far away, just outside of Brooksville, to have
lunch with my brother-in-law, Colonel Robins, and my sister, Miss Mary Dreier.
I know that they will want very much to know you, and it is Colonel Robins
who has had the close connection with the University of Florida.

Always with warm greeting to you and your family, and true affection,
believe me,

Faithfully,

Katherine S. Dreier

KSD/cn

Mr. Friedebald DZubas
3327 Carrollton
Indianapolis, Indiana

February 9, 1949

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

I was so happy when the postman brought me your big package of three water
colors, and I immediately chose one of the large ones with the rich variation
of color.

You make me feel that I belong to another generation. If there had been no
signature on the two large water colors, of the three you sent this time, I
would have placed the top where you had placed the bottom. It is most inter-
esting to me that you have a desire to make compositions based on triangles
tilted with the point down instead of the base. This gives a disquieting
quality which must belong to this present world, for if you had signed it
with the broad bottom as its foundation, you would have gotten the quietness
which belonged to the early years of my life and which made such a deep
impression on me. Please don't think I want to dictate - I want you to be
absolutely free - and maybe, in time, I will understand why you tipped it so
that it rests on the point instead of its base.

It is very beautiful in color, and we will have it framed in time for the
Exhibition which opens February 22nd. I am so glad you got it to us in time.
I am going over to New Haven tomorrow, and will leave it with Miss Setze so
that there will be no question that it will not be entered in this coming
Exhibition of New Acquisitions, which is always in connection with the
Alumni - an important date to the Gallery.

I am delighted, also, to think that you ended in Florida, and I am writing
this week to my sister, Miss Mary Dreier, to tell her to be sure to get in
touch with you and see if you can't come over. I presume you have your car
with you, and I hope that you have your whole family. I know that they will
want to see you all, if the trip is not too much for your wife and youngster.
If my recollection is right, it should be about fifty miles.

Kamys is very much excited about his coming Exhibition, which opens next
Monday. He, as well as I, feels very sorry to have lost you here in
Connecticut, for we had both looked forward to the stimulation which being
with you would bring to both of us.

You will also be delighted to know that the contract between Dr. Runes and me
has been completed. But I had to ask a friend of mine, a young lawyer, to go

May 3rd - 1949 -

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

I was distressed that you were so troubled
whether I had received your long letter of March 7th which I had hoped
to answer long ago - but Fate just was blocking me all the time. How-
ever I will send you a telegram today so that you know this letter is
on its way.

The trouble was that your letter arrived while I was in New York and
there was so much to attend to in connection with the Société Anonyme
besides seeing my various doctors who always take up so much of my time
that I was unable to answer it. I might have sent a postcard - but it
did not occur to me that you would be worried and besides I expected
to answer it as soon as I got back.

But when I got home I found that I had to attend a very serious meeting
in connection with the boys preparatory school of which I am a trustee.
This took place in an unheated house - and the result of it was that
I came down with a very serious cold which laid me low and put me to
bed. Then I found myself so behind in my work with the catalogue which
now must be completed since the resignation of President Seymour which
is to take place in June 1950 - that again I had to lay aside your letter
You see my secretary had her baby the end of March and I am still with-
out her and must do all my typing myself - and to be frank - at my age
one has not too much energy, and I must rest a great deal.
So now you know the long sad story of why I did not write.

When your water-colors were up in the Exhibition at Yale For New Acces-
sions - Mr. Charles Nagel jr. now Director of the Brooklyn Museum was
present and was so interested in your work that I had hoped that I would
hear from you that you had been invited to the Brooklyn Museum Water-
Color Exhibition. But you said nothing in your letter about that.

Many people admired your work very much and everyone was glad that
you are represented in the Collection of the Société Anonyme.

When I spoke to Rose Fried she told me that there was no question in
her mind that she thought very highly of your work and would like to
represent you. I therefore left instructions with the Yale University
Art Gallery to please send the two pictures which we had of your be-
sides the ones the Société Anonyme owns in their Collection at Yale
to Rose Fried and gave their address. Through some strange error the
young secretary took down the wrong address and the pictures were re-
turned. They were to have been sent again and I am now telephoning
Yale to find out what happened. They tell me that the pictures were
caught in the Express Strike - but they will check on it and let me
know. Since a picture which Rose Fried had of mine has just arrived
I imagine that word will come that these are safely in her keeping now.

I was wondering whether you have enough water-colors to show - for I
don't know that she meant what you had her words mean to you.
All galleries are pressed by artists to show their work - and of course

- 2 -

Rose Fried lost so heavily last winter when she was so ill-advised that she must go slow. So I really do not know what she had in mind I do know that she said *that* to me that she could not show too many young and unknown artists for it took a lot of energy to build up their reputation - and you know as well as I that there are very few American who buy out of love for the picture they see - but want a name. To establish a name - takes long - and maybe people are too conscious of your negative philosophy of life to want to live with your paintings. Americans are positive in their philosophy and if they are not they want to be bolstered up. From what you write that you are interested in "nihilism and the devitalised individual" is in such opposition to the American spirit that you will have a long pull before you are accepted. For it is in such opposition to the American spirit of action.

When you and I are together again we must talk over just what you mean by 'the devitalised individual' and the relation of 'beauty and terror'. You seem to be going back to the eighties when the Russians thought along these lines - but we must talk it over and see how constructive it is - for what the world needs above everything today is constructive thinking to clarify the atmosphere from all this existing confusion which brings on wars of all kind and blocks courage and freedom.

I was sorry to read that your experience at University of Florida was the same as the experience evryone seems to have. When I was engaged to teach Art Appreciation at The Weylister Junior College I was told that my class would consist of about ten students. Instead I had 26. But my salary was the same and I know the terrible time and energy it consumes to correct the papers. Also the salary covers each month of the year. Therefore if your salary - this is just an assumption of salary - is 1200.00 you receive one hundred a month - even after you leave you should receive this sume. That is the hundred dollars are sent you for June, July, Augusta - until your years is completed. At least that was the situation at Weylister. But then the year was from September to September - whereas you came in with the February term.

It is very hard for me to advise when I know too little of your actual situation - financially and otherwise.

The reason I could not advise Black Mountain College - is that I have no idea what will happen there this summer. A very curious thing happened and just as Gropius found that he had to resign from the Bauhaus- so my nephew found he had to resign from Black Mountain College. How long it will last or who will meet the finances - I do not know - and you might be jumping into the fire from the frying-pan.

would

I have often wondered whether you *are/and* not have done better to have gone on with your work among the publishers - doing less and less until you had built up a reputation as an artist when you could apply yourself completely to your work. Maybe it is not too late to do that still - and pick up the threads you let fall last winter and handle your painting that way. Or else apply at the Brooklyn Museum for a teaching post there since Mr. Nagle seemed interested in your work.

As to Yale Art School - I have no influence there at all.

I am sorry that you did not get over to Chinsegut while my sister was there - for she back North since after Easter - and I am sorry to say that Mr. Robins being a semi-invalid has no vitality left over for any subject out side his - which are agriculture and politics.

All good wishes to you. I am sorry that this experience has been so hard - but you asked so few questions that I did not know how informed you were. Always faithfully

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA • GAINESVILLE
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND ALLIED ARTS

Department of Art

4. good program to runy anyrohere and to teach anyplace which will be important as I am looking for another job. My Salary here is so small that I hat to go into debt in order to live here. The last hope for an increase towards a living wage, has gone this week when the Florida Legislature cut five million of the universities budget. I have already written to Mr. Nagel of the Brooklyn Museum but have no answer as yet. If you should have any advice or suggestion, I will be very grateful.

Please do not feel pressed to answer this letter immediately as I realize how busy you are. I still plan to come North in August. Hoping very much that you feel better by now I am, very faithfully yours

Friedrich Dz.

1. Enclosure

ARCHITECTURE • BUILDING CONSTRUCTION • LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE • DRAWING AND PAINTING • COMMERCIAL ART • INTERIOR DESIGN • CRAFTS

June 20, 1949

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

Rose Fried wrote me that a letter she had sent you had been returned, and so I suggested that she would write to this address in Indianapolis, which I believe is the address of your wife's family. I am under the impression that Rose Fried is planning a group exhibition of young painters, since she suggested to Walter Kamys that she could include him in such an exhibition. Just when that is to be, I do not know.

Since universities have the way of closing at such different times, from the end of May to the end of June, I am also writing to you at 3327 Carrollton, Indianapolis, Indiana, and am enclosing a letter which I sent to Mr. Beur suggesting that they consider you for their Art School next season.

I was very glad to receive your long letter, and very glad to have you more clearly express what you had in mind. I was much interested in it. We are passing through a period of inaccuracy for everybody and, therefore, everybody must take special pains to counteract these vibrations.

In answering the questionnaire you did not mention whether you were now an American citizen. I would like very much to enter this in your biographical note. Are you a full-fledged American citizen, or have you only your first papers?

Please let me know where you are and whether you have received this letter, and especially answer the question about your American citizenship as soon as possible.

Always with warm regards,

KSD/cn

July 28, 1949

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

Your letter of July 26th has just reached me, and I am going to answer it immediately.

In the first place, I think the suggestion of your six students is excellent, and I should almost think that you might find a place within the means of those six to meet all expenses, including your own salary. However, I am sure you would ease matters to have two or three more, and you might be able to locate them when you are up here. In deciding where you might find an inexpensive place, I wonder if you had thought of locating just across the Hudson. There are apparently a great many groups of people who live very inexpensively in that neighborhood, i.e., like Yorktown Heights, and there are a number of others which I cannot recall this minute. It is really the New York side of the Palisades and very accessible. There are also accessible places across from Washington Bridge.

I think that it is a little your fault that you haven't heard from Rose Fried. For she turned to me the beginning of June and asked me what I thought was your address. I said I had no idea, since you did not mention at all your plans, but I thought the safest thing was to send it to your wife's family and I gave her that address. Whether she ever wrote, or whether they, in turn, sent it on to you, I couldn't answer.

But I think you are absolutely unconscious of how up in the air you have left us here up North. You have been dissatisfied with the work down in Florida, but you haven't told us when the college ends or what your plans were, or through what address to reach you.

I am glad you are so busy because I think it is only through being busy that one can stand the terrific humidity which has settled down on us -- apparently all over the country. I don't know whether it has been in Florida or not. You don't mention the weather at all, which seems to be the chief topic of conversation here.

I shall be gone till the end of August, but will be back the last week end, so do drop me a line, or call me up so that I can plan when to have you. I am extremely busy completing the Catalogue, which has to be finished and out by March 1st; and at times I am quite panicky to know how behind-hand I have gotten so that I will not be able to spend as much time with anybody as I would like until this is off my mind. I am sure you will understand. But of course it does not mean that I will not be glad to see you, and maybe you can come up some Sunday and show me your work.

Always wishing you the best, and looking forward to seeing you again, believe me,
with warm regards,

Faithfully yours,

KSD/cn

Katherine S. Dreier

SOCIETE ANONYME: MUSEUM OF MODERN ART: 1920

TELEPHONE
MILFORD 4-2416
2

C.O.
KATHERINE S. DREIER

130 WEST RIVER STREET

MILFORD, CONNECTICUT

September 20, 1949

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

When you were an angel and blew in on September 7th and helped me so wonderfully with the snarls I had gotten into in connection with a few translations, you told me that you would be free for a couple of days and could translate for me into English what Arp had written about Hans Richter, and what Profesor Hildebrandt had written about Baumeister. You also told me you were going to send me a little birthday greeting when you returned this data for Saturday, the 10th.

I am a little worried because I have received no word from you -- not a postcard, nor a telephone call, nor a telegram, nor anything.

What worries me especially is that you have the only copies in my possession of what these two men wrote, who are in Europe. I was under the impression that you realized how I trusted you when I gave them to you, and how grateful I was that you were going to help me out with these two translations -- at least in the rough which I could then smooth out.

When by September 17th I hadn't heard anything, I thought it best not to telegraph you, for I did not know where you were, but instead I telegraphed:

Miss von Magerstadt
88 Horatio Street
New York 14, New York

as follows:

"Where is DZubas? Can I have his translation promised September 10th?"

signed -- Katherine S. Dreier.

Today is September 20th and the mail has brought nothing.

Please telephone or telegraph me that the papers are safe, and approximately when I may expect the translation.

You can see by this how you create situations which react on you with difficulty. It would have taken very little time to have sent me even a postcard telling me of the cause of your delay if you were unable to telephone or write me.

Please don't slip up on this, and please let me have some word as to the safety of these papers, which is what troubles me most.

With all best wishes, and hoping that you won't go back on me in letting me know,

Faithfully,

KSD/cn

Katherine S. Dreier
President

C.C.

September 20, 1949

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

When by September 17th I hadn't heard anything, I thought it best not to telegraph you, for I did not know where you were. But instead I telegraphed:

as follows:

Faithfully,

KSD/cn

Katherine S. Dreier
President

C O P Y

FISK TEACHERS AGENCY
28 East Jackson Boulevard
Telephone: Harrison 6662
CHICAGO 4

Mrs. Charles E. Goodell
President

December 7, 1949

Miss Katherine S. Dreier:

You have been given as a reference by Mr. Friedebald DZubas. We shall appreciate a confidential statement of your estimate of the candidate's scholarship, teaching ability, personality, and other qualifications you think important. A careful analysis of the candidate's ability either in teaching, in administration, or in any other type of professional work connected with educational institutions, will be helpful. It is advantageous to know whether the candidate participates in community life and extracurricular activities.

This statement is for the use only of executives who request recommendations, and is never shown to the candidate. We shall appreciate your help.

FISK TEACHERS AGENCY

Confidential Information

Regarding your inquiry as to Friedebald DZubas as a teacher, I wish to state that I recommended him last year to Mr. Hollis H. Holbrook, Head, Department of Art, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, who was very satisfied with his work. Unfortunately, the climate did not agree with his wife, and so he was forced to make a change.

When recommending Mr. DZubas to Mr. Holbrook, I stated that he was trained by The Bauhaus and is one of their last pupils. Personally, I feel his taste runs along classical lines which gives a very sound foundation, combined with the modern spirit of The Bauhaus. He came to this country some eight years ago and was able to support himself, and to marry on the layouts of books as a free lance for various publishers. In my judgment, this showed both character and great ability. But the urge to center on his painting has made him decide to change his profession to that of teacher to enable him to have sufficient time to do his own creative work.

Mr. Duchamp and I, former co-Trustees of the famous Collection of the Société Anonyme, now a part of Yale University, consider that few painters of today, whether of the old school or new, have so highly developed color sense, which is a quality especially rare to be found among the present painters of America and is, therefore, to be highly valued. His influence would be very fine and distinguished and would bring credit to any university or college, or school, which would engage him.

Date: December 13, 1949

Address: 130 West River Street
Position: President, Société Anonyme: Museum of Modern Art: 1920.

March 8, 1950

Dear Friedebald DZubas:

I can't tell you what a comfort it is to know that you are on the job, and the more I think about the layout of the few pages you showed me, the more I believe that you have really come to our rescue and have saved the situation.

I am sure that with tact you can handle Mr. Boyden, and I am enclosing a copy of a letter which I dictated to him today, which will go out with the layout as to pages of the Catalogue.

I enclose page 9 to replace what I originally sent you. Also enclosed are the pages to replace: Exhibitions of the Société Anonyme -- Exhibitions of Yale University -- List of Lectures arranged by the Société Anonyme -- Contents.

You will notice that I have added something to these last pages.

The only page for which I am still responsible is the page on *Excerpts*. I must have my lawyers O.K. Duchamp's and my full statement in that.

You will notice that I suggested your help to Mr. Boyden and said that you would adjust yourself to the limitation of the type he must use for this work. It is unfortunate that this is all based on linotype work.

When Mr. Boyden says it takes four pages for the Index, I am a little concerned because he counted each artist having one line with no more space between, as I understand it, than the lines of the statement indicate. This will make almost impossible reading for an index, unless two sizes of type were used. I find that apparently through the linotype which he employs this cannot be done. I don't see how we are going to handle this unless we can have one or two more pages to at least make a break between letters, and to enable half-lines where more than one name is mentioned for the statement. I leave this problem to you, but I do wish you would take it up with Duchamp.

Be sure to give me one or two days' notice when you are coming up to New Haven again, as I want to adjust my time to that of yours and Mr. Boyden's.

At the same time, my secretary comes on Monday and Tuesday, which makes it difficult for me to see you afterwards, as I haven't got the physical strength to do further mental work of such intensity after my work with her is through.

Wednesday is cleaning day, but we could always find a place. And Thursday means that you and I would have to go out for supper which, of course, is quite easy if you have your car.

My secretary says she are adjustable.

I have been thinking a great deal of the exquisite little painting which you are going to give me. It will give me great pleasure indeed, and I am looking

April 3, 1950

Dear Friedebald Dzubas:

When I mailed you my longhand letter yesterday I forgot to enclose the list of Publications of the Société Anonyme: Museum of Modern Art 1920 -- which Mr. Hamilton thought it would be a good idea to include at the end of the Catalogue. So, I am sending it to you herewith.

I am also sending you a copy of my letter to Mr. Boyden.

Since Mr. Boyden did not send me his copy of the Index, I have asked my secretary to make four corrected copies, as we are not sure whether I had corrected them in pencil on the ones I sent to Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Boyden.

Would you mind dropping me a postcard telling me when you have mailed the final layout for the artists to Mr. Hamilton and are beginning on the pages. You will be glad to know that I was in a position to send, by hand, to Mr. Hamilton this afternoon, the 30 double sheets representing the 48 artists which Mr. Duchamp and I checked on Saturday.

When do you hope to begin on the layout of the pages? You will notice that I have asked Mr. Boyden that I hope Mr. Hamilton and he will let you rearrange the pages of the two letters from President Seymour and me.

How fortunate it was that you came here, for till I compared your work with what the Yale University Press was doing, I had not completely realized how really terrible their work was -- and when you consider that it represents the Art Department I really think it is beyond words.

With deep appreciation for your work, which I hope you feel that Duchamp and I are very conscious of, believe me,

KSD/cn

Mr. Friedebald Dzubas
235 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York

Sunday, April 23rd 1950

Dear Friedebald Dzubas:

Here is your check and my suggestion
as to how to handle the little cards.

I would not make another cut but make a new design - something
on the line I suggested.

I also suggested another quality of paper for the card and to use
the same color ink for the printing that was used for the invitation.

One reason the card looks so vulgar is not only the wrong proportion
but the blackness of the ink used and the quality of the card.

I must have them by Wednesday since Mrs. Houghton and I meet for details
Thursday morning in New Haven and my Thursday mail often does not
reach me in time. Mrs. Houghton will place the cards and I must give
them to her when I see her Thursday.

Now for the car. I appreciate it ever so much that you will make it
possible for these dear old friends of mine to come.

The first to pick up is:

Mrs. Charles Knoblauch
The Wyoming, 853 Seventh Avenue, cor. 55th St.

Mrs. Elizabeth Shape
The Allerton - 130 East 57th St.

Rose Fried - 40 East 68th St.

I will send you the money for the car as soon as I know how much it
will be.

Mrs. Knoblauch is quite deaf and therefore talks quite a little to
hide it - but she stood by me during those early years when people
thought we were mad to see anything in this art. She was an old
friend of Gertrude Stein and help to get her things published.

Mrs. Shape and I do a lot of metaphysical work together and without
our combined effort the catalogue NEVER would have been finished.
She is the one I am not yet quite sure that she will make be able
to come, but I hope so.

With warm appreciation for your part of making the catalogue and the
party a success, believe me with greetings to you and your wife
Faithfully

2.

will be c/o. W. Wing, Peaceable Street, Georgetown, Conn. Telephone: Georgetown 564.

Several people including some from Yale have written me very kind notes pertaining the catalogue and I am very glad that I had a chance to do some work towards the catalogue's successful appearance.

I do hope that you have been well and that you will give me an opportunity to see you in the near future

April 2, 1951

Dear Friedebald Dzubas:

I don't feel that Mr. Bernard Rice made very clear to you your position involved
in securing possession of the property on River Road, Piermont, which you are so
eager to have.

When you say that the difficulty is securing the $3,500 in cash -- which you need
for deposit before the bank will give you an amortization mortgage of $6,500 --
you in no way made clear what protection such a loan would have.

The bank would have the first mortgage covering the property.

There would be no protection in a second mortgage for the loan of the $3,500. For,
in case of illness which would prevent you from meeting the requirements of the
bank, it would be a total loss to whoever has loaned you the money.

This is a responsibility I, personally, at this time would not assume -- but that
is my reaction having just passed through a similar experience with the Jessie
Lee Academy at Danbury. If you can secure your sum and feel equal to it, knowing
that it may be a total loss to whoever lends you the money, it is for you to take
that responsibility.

There used to be -- the Morris Plan Corporation.

I see by the New York telephone book that the executive office is at --
103 Park Avenue -- and that what used to be -- Morris Plan Industrial Bank of
New York -- is now the Industrial Bank of Commerce, main office 56 East 42nd Street.
You will find that they have eleven branches in New York and Brooklyn, as well as
the Jamaica and Yonkers branches.

Whether the Yonkers Branch could help you, which is located at -- 20 South Broadway, Yonkers -- If so not know.

But of course the interest you would have to pay on such a transaction would be
much higher than if you had $3,500 with the bank taking over an amortization
mortgage of $6,500.

I believe they are very reliable, for they have been in existence a long, long
time. But, of course, their rates, naturally, are very high, since they are
doing the entire financing. Whether they still do this or not, I do not know.

I am sorry that this question has come up for you, but personally, I would rather
move and find some other place than to take this responsibility. That is my
very strong personal reaction after all the experiences I have had in such matters,

Well, our work is going through, and the case of pictures is leaving on the
De Grasse on this coming Wednesday, April 4th and should be in the hands of
Lefebvre Foinet by the 15th of April.

I am so glad at least to know that this has come to you, and I hope that you
will have wonderful success in finding the right representatives to push you
ahead.

I am sorry to say that I am still not well, but as soon as I feel a little better
I shall telephone you and try and find out when you can bring me my Buchheister

-2-

and show me both yours and Kamys' water color which we will then pack with
mine and send direct to Mr. Sides.

You must also tell me how much I will owe you for the restoration of the
Buchheister painting.

I can't tell you how sorry I am that my practical knowledge made me feel that
I should write you as frankly as I did. And I only had hoped that Mr. Bernard
Rice would have made it clear to you what the situation was.

Always with warm affection and deep appreciation for your art, believe me,

Faithfully yours,