DLA016-0029  Summary and Transcription

Summary:

In response to Sigmund Münz's request, de László sends his impressions of his recent visit to the United States, recounting meetings with various sitters and his admiration for the "self-made men of the United States". He includes reference to Adolph Ochs ("a great figure... I admire him for his simplicity") [6487]; Bishop William Lawrence ("a very pious and outstanding personality") [6013]; George Eastman ("a very noble and 'outstanding' character, and a great citizen" [4994]; Mrs Sabin [7073]; Miss Ann Morgan [3912]; and Frank Andrew Munsey  [111831]. De László has just started his portrait of the Archbishop of Canterbury [4632], which gives him great pleasure due to its historical importance, however, he is also longing to do a few portraits "of those who are really personalities which appeal to me." He mentions their summer holiday plans, and his memoirs, which he is working on.

Transcription:

15th May, 1926.

My dear Friend,

Your letter of May 1st has just reached me.^[1] It is most kind of you to say you want me to give you some of my impressions of my visit to the U.S. I will try and give you some idea of my stay in a very short way, as at the moment I am very, very busy. As you can well imagine, after an absence of six months, there is an enormous amount of work awaiting me here.

Besides all this I have just started the portrait, in the very ancient and historical Lambeth Palace, of the Archbishop of Canterbury [4632], which I am painting in the old world atmosphere there. It gives me very great satisfaction and pleasure that I have been asked to do it; feeling that I am continuing this wonderful historical chain of portraits which date back to the fourteenth century, and of which my picture will be a link with all the present Archbishop's predecessors. This sense gives a really uplifting and moral feeling, and in this atmosphere, I shall do all in my power and knowledge to make the picture a great success, and I intend to show it next year in Paris, and it will be a full-length portrait.

As I was sitting there to-day having luncheon with the Archbishop, behind me, over the fireplace hangs the famous portrait of a former Prelate painted by Holbein when, in those days the Palace was adherent to the Catholic Church.

The present Archbishop is considered a very prominent and great man, and universally respected.

[Page 2]

I am enclosing you a portrait which may interest you, and which may be of some help to you for what you want to write, and can be added to the list I sent you from America:-

Mr. Ochs, the owner of the "New York Times" the portrait of whom now hangs at the Times office [6487], in that prominent room where such important people as Sovereigns, diplomats, etc, ete., are received. It is really a most wonderful organization, from every point of view, that I have seen in my life, where they employ over 5,000 people

On the Friday before I sailed, I had luncheon there, and Henry^[2] with me, and amongst others we met was Hoover,^[3] who seems to be most intelligent, versatile and the best informed man on the European situation of the American Governors.

Mr Ochs himself, is a great figure, and I admire him for his simplicity. He showed me a copy of the little corner shop, in a small town, where he started, with only a hand printing machine, to print his paper. Next to that picture is a photograph of a nigger whom he highly esteems, who printed his paper by hand, and he told me, with pride, of his ancestors and how he started only as a very poor boy.

In continuation and next to this photograph, are all the great men of the world, with whom he has had any connection. He has got these all together just to show how he has progressed, and I felt very proud to have painted his portrait.

Besides this, I would also mention the Bishop of Massachusetts in Boston [6013], who is a very pious and outstanding personality.

[Page 3]

Mr. Eastman, of Kodak fame [4994], is also a man I consider to be 'of a very' noble and 'outstanding' character, and a great citizen. He is extraordinarily benevolent and has built and endowed various hospitals himself.

In his factory, which is almost a town itself, he now produces his own lenses for the Kodak, which formerly he received from Germany. He has been most philanthropic towards Rochester where he lives and has built a Musical Academy of great magnitude, which he supports and supplies with the best professors. He loves music and has in his house a most magnificent organ and much enjoys the playing of a first-rate organist.

He gave 25 million dollars towards the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, which is certainly the best equipped and finest in the world, and where our Henry, is now established in the splendid Laboratory. The portrait I painted of him [4994] now hangs there and was unveiled just a few days ago.

Mr. Eastman is a most extraordinarily benevolent man and has already made all arrangements during his lifetime for the disposal of his great fortune in the most useful and beneficent way.

During my visit I painted many other fine men of great value; all most self-made men of striking character who interested me very much.

Among the women I painted – I should like to mention Mrs. Sabin [7073], a very attractive woman and the Leader of the Republican Women’s League of the U.S. – a most important position when it comes to the Presidential election.

I painted also Miss Ann Morgan [3912], sister of G.P. Morgan. She is doing great work in France, re-building the devastated regions and collects millions and millions in her own country, for this purpose.

I admire these self-made men of the United States and the pride they take in their successful careers which enables them to leave fortunes for the good of mankind and which thereby immortalised them.

[Page 4]

Another big magnate is Mr. Munsey [111831], who gave 40 million dollars to the Metropolitan Art Museum – one of the leading Museums, which contains the most wonderful Art treasure in the world. It is so richly endowed that there is nothing that comes on the market, that they could not buy.

If I could have prolonged my visit, there were many other interesting people I could have painted, but I had to return home, but probably I shall go out again later on. At present I am not thinking of it, but longing now to work as I have desired for some years, for my own pleasure. I shall only do a few portraits of those who are really personalities which appeal to me.

Regarding our summer sejour – as I told you I intend to leave about August 10th, with our sons, and go straight down to the Lido and bathe and rest and then on through various towns of Italy. Could we not meet at the Lido where I hope my brother^[4] will come and meet me. We must try and arrange it.

We shall probably have to go to Gaston and this is in our mind, but if we go there before the summer holiday, I will let you know, but we must meet this summer.

I am much interest [sic] to hear that you are working on the Hapsburg family and would only be too glad if I could help you here with some of the publishers, whom I know.

Regarding my own “Life” – I am steadily working on it. We have been, as you know, in the midst of great social difficulties, but you can rest assured that it will all end satisfactorily, as the nation will not stand being terrorised by a handful of men. Our Paul,^[5] as all other Undergraduates, was home from Oxford, working hard driving a heavy food lorry.

Now my friend, let me hear from you soon. We are greet [sic] you most heartily.

Editorial Note:

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

ACW

16/07/2009