Library and Archive Reading Rooms
View by appointment- Created by
- Moïse Kisling 1891 – 1953
- Recipient
- Jacques Lipchitz 1891–1973
- Title
- Letter from ‘KiKi’, Lisbon, to Jacques Lipchitz, Toulouse
- Date
- 3 January 1941
- Format
- Document - correspondence
- Collection
- Tate Archive
- Acquisition
- Presented to Tate Archive by Rubin Lipchitz, March 1989; the cataloguing and selective digitisation of this archive collection was supported by Mr Timm Bergold, 2023
- Reference
- TGA 897/1/1/221/3
Description
Kisling writes about the 'joy of working', even in the circumstances of the moment and express his joy that Lipchitz continues to work and has good 'morale'. He also speaks about receiving 'a good letter from M-me.Barr' and that she hsa already occupied herself with efforts to make Lipchitz come [to the USA]. There is also talk of organising an exhibition in New York when Lipchitz will have all his work back from Washington. He adds that the American JOINT has funding for this kind of arrangement.
Full text:
'My dear Jacques,
Your letter of the 20th of November only arrived 3 days ago, this time and unlike the other times, it took a long time to get to me. Well done! My dear Jacques! I can see that your morale is good, that you are working and happy to do so. Really! Us, we are very happy and protected by the good God. It amazes me that despite all our troubles as soon as we are holding a brush, or in your case clay, we are able to forget everything! What a pity that we cannot work 24h a day! I'm happy to know that you've received a good letter from Mrs. Barr, it's important that she is working on getting you there. Once there I don't think that you will be as annoyed as you have in your goal to organise an exhibition in New York. When you will have your necessary pieces from Washington and the visa from Vichy, the question of the fees will resolve itself. The American joint has special funding for these types of travel. I think I will finally be able to leave at the end of January, if I can find a space on the boat, which is still extremely hard to get. I'm getting back to your story - Mrs. Barr needs to send you, as soon as possible, the contract for your exhibition at the museum, so you can get the visa authorising you to leave from Vichy. Does Toulouse have an American contact? For now, the most important is Barr. I hope that everything will work out, and fast. Don't worry my pal, one day we will laugh about this, and this day might not be too far away. My health is ok as I work a lot and [illegible word] everything here, even if the country is beautiful. Life is pleasant and the work is going well.
I'm kissing you both. Your Kiki. '
Archive context
- Personal and professional papers of Jacques Lipchitz TGA 897 (451)
-
- Correspondence TGA 897/1 (212)
-
- Correspondence to and from Jacques Lipchitz TGA 897/1/1 (183)
-
- Correspondence between Moise Kisling and Jacques Lipchitz TGA 897/1/1/221 (4)
-
- Letter from ‘KiKi’, Lisbon, to Jacques Lipchitz, Toulouse TGA 897/1/1/221/3