1417
LAM WIFREDO: (1902-1982)
1/11
Description
LAM WIFREDO: (1902-1982) Cuban artist. An important collection of five illustrated A.Ls.S., Wifredo (3), another with his full signature, and two with his initial W, ten pages (total), 4to and 8vo (1), Caldes de Montbui, May - June 1937 and n.d. (2), to Balbina Barrera, an amateur artist and Lam´s lover, in Spanish. The correspondence comprises -(i) A.L.S., Wifredo (twice), three pages, 4to, Caldes de Montbui, 16th May 1937. Lam writes from the sanitorium where he was recovering after joining the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, making several references to Barcelona and also stating ´I'm a little nervous but very hopeful that I'll get better soon. The doctor is coming tomorrow and we'll see what he says´, and further adding ´They haven't brought me my paints yet, but when they do, I'll start working on my painting´. Lam closes his letter by writing ´What? Are you going to the beach?´ beneath which he adds an original drawing of a slender woman lying full-length on a beach, with a sailing boat on the sea in the far distance, and the head of a man in profile, evidently a self-portrait, to the right. (ii) A.L.S., Wifredo Lam, two pages, 4to, Caldes de Montbui, 12th June 1937. Having received the paints he was waiting for, Lam writes of a work that he is on the verge of completing, ´I have finished, or will finish this afternoon, a large painting that I really like because, although it has a certain effect, it is not bad for people to see the flaws, as this is proof that you are moving forward and that you are not a proud fool! If you knew how much progress I have made, you would be amazed and filled with joy, because it has taken me a lot of effort to see clearly how to paint´, and continues, ´I think my illness was a consequence of my failed attempts, because every time I paint, I believe you are by my side, and it's true, because your portrait is always watching me from the wall, watching everything I do and every movement I make in front of my paintings!´, further remarking ´Now, don't go thinking that I have a museum, because although I work a lot, I also throw a lot away, as they are only sketches that I do on large sheets of paper, and the materials I use are glue and wall paint, so the work I do is for study and easy to transfer to a final form, as all the problems have been solved´. Lam also writes of his current situation and health, ´My dear, I have some bad news. I can't stay at the nursing home because the doctor told me that my condition is chronic... But now the nursing home is having difficulties and they are dismissing all the patients in one way or another... But I can't give this up for now, and I'll tell you why: Cordón was here and he was very kind and asked me if I wanted to go to Russia, and of course I told him that I would go as long as they would take better care of me there and cure me, even if I had to have an operation, but getting well soon is what matters to me, and we agreed on that. He left for Madrid four days ago, and today I found out about the closure of the premises, which I must tell you has put me in a very bad mood, as I cannot leave Barcelona´. To the lower half of the second page Lam has added an ink illustration which features a horse galloping on a snady beach and with the sea in the distance, a lone woman lying on the sand close to the horse, and two naked lovers in full-length poses, the artist identifying various elements of the drawing, and in the left margin writing ´This is a new painting I have in mind. What do you think?´. (iii) A.L.S., Wifredo, two pages, 4to, Caldes de Montbui, 15th June 1937. Lam provides his lover with an update on his health, and also reflects on the artistic career he has chosen, and his ambitions for the future, in part, ´Today here in Caldes, I'm feeling better, but a little annoyed because I don't know what to do: whether to stay in the nursing home or leave.......I have to keep studying, working on my projects, and I'll talk about this. As you know, all my dreams of going to Paris to study have always failed, and this has always saddened me and lowered my morale, because I know very well that with a little study there, I would gain a great advantage over my competitors......I think that until I fulfil this need, I am and will remain bitter.......Always and at all times, I will do and be as I set out to do when I chose this path in my life, and that is to fight with determination to achieve my goal......I don't like knowing that I have a chronic illness at all, I'm furious´. To the second page Lam has drawn two beautiful illustrations, each featuring full-length naked studies of two lovers, one almost identical to part of the drawing in his previous letter, and the other depicting a lady seated with her back to the viewer, but with her face and breasts reflected in a mirror on the wall opposite, and with her male lover standing in a full-length pose before her. Of the drawings Lam writes ´You can't get any idea of the drawings other than that they all show a man and a woman, but as for their artistic and poetic meaning, of course not, because they are two very carefully studied sketches´.(iv) A.L.S., with his initial W, two pages, 8vo, n.p., n.d. The artist writes of one of his works, which he appears to have sold, ´I saw the man from the painting and he gave me a bad feeling. He treated me very kindly and assured me that everything would be sorted out on Friday. We'll see. For now, he has told me to choose the frame and tomorrow I will take the painting to his house. I think he means business´ and further writes ´If you only knew how much I've dreamed since I was a child of seeing and travelling the world, especially Italy.....If it weren't for the Italian-Abyssinian-English conflict, I assure you that I would already be getting everything ready and I would be seeing you in Italy´. At the foot of the page Lam has added illustrations of several figures, including three heads in profile, and the second page features two light pencil studies by the artist, over which he has drawn two further profile studies, one of a woman, in ink. In the margins Lam writes ´I'm feeling better now, we'll see how I feel later´.(v) A.L.S., with his initial W, two pages, 4to, n.p., n.d. Lam writes a somewhat downhearted letter, stating, in part, ´Don't condemn me, I'm just thinking about loneliness, I'm feeling down, see you soon....Well, tonight I'll write you a long letter because right now I'm feeling the emptiness of loneliness......Don't be angry, I'm very upset, be patient..... I'm fed up. Goodbye, see you tomorrow´. To the first page Lam has drawn an image of a lady standing in a full-length pose wearing a dress and, as the artist notes, a new belt. The second page is dominated by a wonderful self-portrait of Lam standing in a half-length pose, holding a brush in one hand and his palette in the other, with his head turned in profile as he observes the painting that he is working on; a seascape featuring a lighthouse that rests on an easel. In the distance two figures can be seen, with a large bird flying above their heads, and several other figures appear to the right.An exceptional and extremely rare series of illustrated letters. The final letter has a small area of paper loss and a very lengthy split running across almost the whole width of the page, and the letter almost neatly divided into two separate halves. Otherwise VG, 5
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LAM WIFREDO: (1902-1982) Cuban artist. An important collection of five illustrated A.Ls.S., Wifredo (3), another with his full signature, and two with his initial W, ten pages (total), 4to and 8vo (1), Caldes de Montbui, May - June 1937 and n.d. (2), to Balbina Barrera, an amateur artist and Lam´s lover, in Spanish. The correspondence comprises -(i) A.L.S., Wifredo (twice), three pages, 4to, Caldes de Montbui, 16th May 1937. Lam writes from the sanitorium where he was recovering after joining the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, making several references to Barcelona and also stating ´I'm a little nervous but very hopeful that I'll get better soon. The doctor is coming tomorrow and we'll see what he says´, and further adding ´They haven't brought me my paints yet, but when they do, I'll start working on my painting´. Lam closes his letter by writing ´What? Are you going to the beach?´ beneath which he adds an original drawing of a slender woman lying full-length on a beach, with a sailing boat on the sea in the far distance, and the head of a man in profile, evidently a self-portrait, to the right. (ii) A.L.S., Wifredo Lam, two pages, 4to, Caldes de Montbui, 12th June 1937. Having received the paints he was waiting for, Lam writes of a work that he is on the verge of completing, ´I have finished, or will finish this afternoon, a large painting that I really like because, although it has a certain effect, it is not bad for people to see the flaws, as this is proof that you are moving forward and that you are not a proud fool! If you knew how much progress I have made, you would be amazed and filled with joy, because it has taken me a lot of effort to see clearly how to paint´, and continues, ´I think my illness was a consequence of my failed attempts, because every time I paint, I believe you are by my side, and it's true, because your portrait is always watching me from the wall, watching everything I do and every movement I make in front of my paintings!´, further remarking ´Now, don't go thinking that I have a museum, because although I work a lot, I also throw a lot away, as they are only sketches that I do on large sheets of paper, and the materials I use are glue and wall paint, so the work I do is for study and easy to transfer to a final form, as all the problems have been solved´. Lam also writes of his current situation and health, ´My dear, I have some bad news. I can't stay at the nursing home because the doctor told me that my condition is chronic... But now the nursing home is having difficulties and they are dismissing all the patients in one way or another... But I can't give this up for now, and I'll tell you why: Cordón was here and he was very kind and asked me if I wanted to go to Russia, and of course I told him that I would go as long as they would take better care of me there and cure me, even if I had to have an operation, but getting well soon is what matters to me, and we agreed on that. He left for Madrid four days ago, and today I found out about the closure of the premises, which I must tell you has put me in a very bad mood, as I cannot leave Barcelona´. To the lower half of the second page Lam has added an ink illustration which features a horse galloping on a snady beach and with the sea in the distance, a lone woman lying on the sand close to the horse, and two naked lovers in full-length poses, the artist identifying various elements of the drawing, and in the left margin writing ´This is a new painting I have in mind. What do you think?´. (iii) A.L.S., Wifredo, two pages, 4to, Caldes de Montbui, 15th June 1937. Lam provides his lover with an update on his health, and also reflects on the artistic career he has chosen, and his ambitions for the future, in part, ´Today here in Caldes, I'm feeling better, but a little annoyed because I don't know what to do: whether to stay in the nursing home or leave.......I have to keep studying, working on my projects, and I'll talk about this. As you know, all my dreams of going to Paris to study have always failed, and this has always saddened me and lowered my morale, because I know very well that with a little study there, I would gain a great advantage over my competitors......I think that until I fulfil this need, I am and will remain bitter.......Always and at all times, I will do and be as I set out to do when I chose this path in my life, and that is to fight with determination to achieve my goal......I don't like knowing that I have a chronic illness at all, I'm furious´. To the second page Lam has drawn two beautiful illustrations, each featuring full-length naked studies of two lovers, one almost identical to part of the drawing in his previous letter, and the other depicting a lady seated with her back to the viewer, but with her face and breasts reflected in a mirror on the wall opposite, and with her male lover standing in a full-length pose before her. Of the drawings Lam writes ´You can't get any idea of the drawings other than that they all show a man and a woman, but as for their artistic and poetic meaning, of course not, because they are two very carefully studied sketches´.(iv) A.L.S., with his initial W, two pages, 8vo, n.p., n.d. The artist writes of one of his works, which he appears to have sold, ´I saw the man from the painting and he gave me a bad feeling. He treated me very kindly and assured me that everything would be sorted out on Friday. We'll see. For now, he has told me to choose the frame and tomorrow I will take the painting to his house. I think he means business´ and further writes ´If you only knew how much I've dreamed since I was a child of seeing and travelling the world, especially Italy.....If it weren't for the Italian-Abyssinian-English conflict, I assure you that I would already be getting everything ready and I would be seeing you in Italy´. At the foot of the page Lam has added illustrations of several figures, including three heads in profile, and the second page features two light pencil studies by the artist, over which he has drawn two further profile studies, one of a woman, in ink. In the margins Lam writes ´I'm feeling better now, we'll see how I feel later´.(v) A.L.S., with his initial W, two pages, 4to, n.p., n.d. Lam writes a somewhat downhearted letter, stating, in part, ´Don't condemn me, I'm just thinking about loneliness, I'm feeling down, see you soon....Well, tonight I'll write you a long letter because right now I'm feeling the emptiness of loneliness......Don't be angry, I'm very upset, be patient..... I'm fed up. Goodbye, see you tomorrow´. To the first page Lam has drawn an image of a lady standing in a full-length pose wearing a dress and, as the artist notes, a new belt. The second page is dominated by a wonderful self-portrait of Lam standing in a half-length pose, holding a brush in one hand and his palette in the other, with his head turned in profile as he observes the painting that he is working on; a seascape featuring a lighthouse that rests on an easel. In the distance two figures can be seen, with a large bird flying above their heads, and several other figures appear to the right.An exceptional and extremely rare series of illustrated letters. The final letter has a small area of paper loss and a very lengthy split running across almost the whole width of the page, and the letter almost neatly divided into two separate halves. Otherwise VG, 5
Autograph Letters, Manuscripts & Historical Documents Auction featuring the Collection of a Leicestershire Gentleman Part I
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