DLA019-0108  Transcription 

LONDON,

16th August, 1930.

My dear friend,

I am afraid much time has elapsed since I last wrote to you, and in the meantime I have received the various postcards which you have been good enough to send me and for which I wish to thank you. I am always interested to hear from you and am glad to know you are well. I do not know where this letter will reach you, but I am addressing it to vienna in the hope it will find you well rested after your holiday. I assure you it is not owing to negligence on my part that I have not written to you sooner, but this year has been a very busy one for me on account of the many additional duties which the Presidency of The Royal Society of British Artists has entailed. Also, we have had much sorrow and anxiety in the family during the last six weeks. Firstly, Patrick was involved in a terrible motor accident in which a dear friend of ours was killed; fortunately Patrick had a miraculous escape, and I am thankful to say he has now completely recovered although it will take some time before he will get over the death of his companion.^[1] Then my charming sister-in-law, Miss Eva Guinness, passed away after a long illness, and we feel her death very deeply as we were all devoted to her.^[2]

My family have just returned from Ireland where they have been spending a fortnight. Paul^[3] has also returned from America where he was in a Bank working for six months to become conversant with business affairs before starting his work here at the Bar in September. He looks splendid. Henry,^[4] as you know, is at the London University very busy on research work and lecturing. Stephen^[5] is also very occupied, and Patrick before the accident had just passed his second-class honours at Balliol College, Oxford. John^[6] is still at

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the Public School and will enter the University at Oxford in the Spring. So things progress, and we are getting older!

However, great pleasure has also come my way. The French Government have acquired my portrait of Marshal Lyautey for the historic Gallery in Versailles [6118]; it was exhibited in the Paris Salon this year.^[7] My portrait of the Prince of piemonte is at present in the International Exhibition in Venice [7890].^[8] I have painted many interesting personalities since I last wrote to you, and at present I am seriously contemplating doing fewer portraits and working for my own pleasure. I want to start on my big picture.

We leave on the 20th for the Grand Hotel, Bagnoles de l’Orne, Normandy, where we shall stay three weeks for a cure, and I hope to hear from you while I am there. We afterwards hope to spend a fortnight or three weeks in the Tyrol with Patrick and John. On our way home I have to stay in Paris for two weeks to do some work in my Studio and shall return to London about the middle of October. Later, about the middle of November, I intend to leave for Washington where I have to paint President Hoover whose portrait I should have done this Spring [5787]. This is of great interest as he will be the fourth American President whom I have done. Mr. Mellon and Mr. Kellogg [5923] are also going to be painted by me during my visit.

I do hope that, on my return from America, I shall be able to go over to Budapest as I should like to see my family, and also to spend a few days in Vienna when I could see you. We all send you our heartiest wishes and warmest greetings, and look forward to hear from you.

Editorial Note:

Sigmund Münz (1859-1934), Austrian journalist and writer; for biographical notes, see [6377].

SMDL

05/06/2018