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| Series I. Correspondence, 1918-1971
4.5 Linear Feet
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| Series comprises letters to and from musicians, artists, writers, art dealers, curators, publishers and others, including
André Breton, Jan Cokx, Paul Eluard, Enrico Baj, André de Ridder, Tristan Tzara, René Magritte, Paul-Gustave van Hecke, Paul
Nougé (Breton's counterpart in Belgium), Robert Giron, Roland Penrose, Herbert Read, Wifredo Lam, Jacques Brunius, Charley
Toorop, Alfred Barr, Marcel Mariën, Benjamin Péret, Pierre Matisse, Marcel Leconte, Emile Langui, Huib Hoste, and Yves Tanguy.
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| The earliest correspondence is mostly with musicians, concerning avant-garde music. From the early 1920s on, the correspondence
provides rich details about artists, exhibitions, publications, the purchase and sale of art, and the shifting relationships
among artists and within artist groups. Many letters relate to the avant-garde art and literary journals of the period and
to the galleries sympathetic to progressive art. They also provide an intimate account of World War II, and describe the political
activism (communism, antifascism) of numerous artists and writers.
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| In the later correspondence (from the 1950s through 1971), Mesens's expertise in surrealism is called upon by curators, scholars
and students. Also during this period his own collages and paintings are exhibited with more frequency and this is a subject
of many letters.
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Correspondence 1918-1924 |
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Correspondence, 1918
3 items
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Includes a letter in Dutch from Willem Pijssels, director of the magazine Vlaamsch Leven, who encourages Mesens to continue composing.
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Correspondence 1919
3 items
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Includes: Two letters that relate to the Flemish song "O ZoeteVreugd" (words by E. Hiel and music by E. L. T. Mesens). Letter
from Mesens to Mr. Robberechts with reply from Robberechts stating that he feels offended by Mesens's patronizing tone.
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Correspondence 1920
15 items
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Includes: Several letters in Dutch from Jan Cockx. In one letter Cockx writes about an exhibition that Mesens wants to organize
and mentions that he heard that Magritte "goes back to form" ("dat Magritte terug naar den vorm gaat"). In another letter
Cockx writes that his proposal to include musicians and writers in the Kring Moderne Kunst was rejected. A draft for a letter to Marinetti in which Mesens thanks Marinetti for sending futurist manifests.
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Correspondence 1921
21 items
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Includes: four postcards in Dutch from Eugene de Bock. Ten letters from Jan Cockx. In one letter he mentions the exhibition
Kunst van Heden which included work by de Smet and Permeke. In another letter he writes that he brought back from Paris music
by Milhaud, Poulenc and Satie.
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Correspondence 1921
13 items
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Includes: Two postcards and one letter from pianist Nelly van Doesburg in which she writes about her performances in several
German cities for small audiences. Four letters and four postcards from Pierre Flouquet mentioning his contacts with Paul
Bourgeois and his collaboration with Magritte on the revue Ouverture. A letter by A.W. Grauls with three poems for Mesens to use for musical compositions.
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6 |
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Correspondence 1921
11 items
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Includes: Five letters and two postcards in Dutch from Jozef Peeters. Several of these letters are written on Kring Modern Kunst letterhead. Two letters deal with plans to organize a music evening at the society. A letter from Peeters concerns a Parisian
group that asks for a Belgian collaborator to their magazine. Letter from Mesens to Henri Prunières, director of La Revue Musicale, in which he asks if they are interested in his manuscripts. Mesens calls himself "... un des seuls représentants (producteurs)
de la jeune musique flamande avancée."
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Correspondence 1922
15 items
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Several letters are requests to Mesens to give a talk or perform modern music. An unidentified writer (Paul Nougé?) in letter
dated 9/28/22 writes to say that he refuses to take part in Mesens's group. Two letters from Pierre Bourgeois from Switzerland.
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Correspondence 1922
9 items
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Includes: One letter and two postcards from Léon Chenoy. Chenoy gives a description of Mesens's character and talks about
life and hope. Five letters from Jan Cockx regard the organization of a concert and financial matters.
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Correspondence 1922
13 items
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Includes: letters from Berckelaers, Maurice Van Essche, Pierre Flouquet, Hayden. Three letters in Dutch from architect Huib
Hoste deal with the financial aspects of a congress and Hoste asks Mesens if he wants to give a lecture at the congress. A
poem by Albert Van Hoogenbemt and a manuscript (7 pp) "De Trouw, die voorbij ging...."
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Correspondence 1922
16 items
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Includes: Letter in French from Marcel Lecomte in which he talks about military service and Antwerp. Six draft letters from
Mesens to Handeveld, Opdebeek, Berckelaers, Moens. The letter to Berckelaers regards music. Mesens writes that he corresponds
with Satie and the "six." To Gabriël Opdebeek he writes about Belgian composers Georges Monier and Paul Collaer. A letter
from Dutch composer Daniel Ruyneman in which he talks about music and his career. Letters from Arthur Pétronio (director of
magazine Créer), Gabriël Opdebeek, Jozef Peeters (secretary Kring Moderne Kunst) and Paul Neuheuys. Two postcards from Georges Monier.
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Correspondence 1922
11 items
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Letter from J. Perceval to Paul Collaer inviting him for a duel. Letters from S. U. Alck, Georges Poulet (alias Georges Thialet),
André de Ridder, Perceval. Two postcards from Jan Cockx. Letter from Geert Pijnenburg with two poems.
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12 |
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Correspondence 1923
9 items
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Two letters from Senat de Belgique. Several letters from unidentified authors. One letter from Perceval who wants Monier to be included in a concert.
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13 |
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Correspondence 1923
12 items
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Two postcards from André de Ridder. Letter from Daniel Ruyneman who wants to exchange music scores. Letter and postcard from
Karel Albert. Letter from Georges Auric in which he writes that Stravinsky asked him to play a piano piece and talks about
their stay in Bergen, Holland with Charley Toorop. Mesens states in a letter to Paul Collaer that he did not write negative
articles about him. Letter from Jean Crotti with three poems for Mesens to use for musical compositions.
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14 |
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Correspondence 1923
27 items
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Letter from Leon de Smet from London. Letter from Maurice Van Essche, director of Ça Ira, concerns a recital. Two letters from Huib Hoste. Postcard from Victor Huszar (member of De Stijl). Seven letters and six postcards from Michel Leconte. Letters from Marcel Michalovici and Marcelle Meyer.
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Correspondence 1923
11 items
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Letter from Paul Neuheuys. A letter to Arthur Petronio in which Mesens talks about his young fellow composers. Four letters
from Arthur Petronio and four letters from another member of Créer, Georges Thialet.
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16 |
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Correspondence 1923
12 items
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Ten letters and two postcards in Dutch from Dutch artist Charley Toorop. The letters deal with the organization in May 1923
of a concert of Mesens's work in Amsterdam, at the Kunstkring.
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17 |
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Correspondence 1924
17 items
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Includes: Letter (dated 9-12-24) from an editor of De Veder in which he asks Mesens "Seriez-vous devenu Dadaïste?" and states that he cannot see the difference between Dadaism, Futurism,
Cubism and other modern tendencies. Two letters from the society Club Artes in Antwerp. Letter and postcard from composer
Karel Albert. Two De Stijl postcards from Theo and Nelly Van Doesburg. Two letters from Paul Neuhuys.
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18 |
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Correspondence 1924
23 items
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Five letters and one postcard from Paul Joostens. In one letter he writes that he awaits the publication of Période. Five postcards, five letters and one announcement from Marcel Leconte; two of the letters are written on paper with letterhead
Période. Letters from Paul Gilson, Camille Goemans, Georges Marlier and Dorine Pauwels. A letter from the Belgian Congo by B. C.
K. Minier, asking about Bourgeois, Monier, Flouquet, the magazine Sélection and also Magritte ("Et le Magritte, peintre-mage-dandy-dada et si attrayant?")
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Correspondence 1924-1929 |
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1 |
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Correspondence 1924
16 items
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Includes: Three letters and one postcard from Tristan Tzara. In one letter Tzara gives three conditions for the publication
of his "De nos oiseaux" in the magazine Sélection. In another letter he gives two conditions for the publication of his piece "Mouchoir" in Sélection. He also gives the addresses
of Hans Arp, MalcolmCowley, René Crevel, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes to Mesens. Letter from André de Ridder, director of Editions Sélection, concerning Mesens's membership. A letter to André de Ridder in which Mesens calls de Ridder "malhonnête" because he is not
mentioned as a collaborator to Sélection, Mesens suggests that de Ridder did not like his foundation of another revue. Letters from Ribemont-Dessaignes, Leopold Survage,
William Thomas, Charley Toorop (two letters) and Robert de Roos (two letters and a postcard).
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2 |
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Correspondence 1925
19 items
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Includes: Letter from Karel Albert who writes "on a prouvé que les femmes ne sont pas artistes et c'est pour cela que je les
aime oui!" One letter from Paul Joostsens. Five letters, two postcards and a poem from Hubert Dubois; in one letter he mentions
Paul Eluard. Letters from Karel Albert, Ribemont-Dessaignes, Jules Delacre (for Théâtre du Marais).
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3 |
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Correspondence 1925
18 items
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Includes: Letter from Maurice Jacky (?), who is organizing an exhibition of Jean Cocteau at Manteau Gallery. Letters from
Maxime Jacob, Floris Jespers, Marcel Lecomte, Marcelle Meyer, Paul Neuhuys and Paul Nayaert. Two titlepages from Distinguished air (re Grimm's fairy tales) by Robert Mc Almon.
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4 |
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Correspondence 1925
15 items
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Includes: Three items by Tristan Tzara: a letter to Mesens in which he mentions Satie's death and talks about playing his
piece Mouchoir in Czechoslovakia and London; a "lettre ouverte" for the first issue of Oesophage to André Germain in which he states that he feels insulted by Germain's remarks in the Revue Européenne; a short essay called "Vélodrome aux oignons." Four letters and one postcard by de Roos deal with musical matters and a Mengelberg
concert in Amsterdam. Two letters from Johan van Ruijven, secretary of De Amsterdamse Kunstkring Voor Allen, about planning
a concert in Amsterdam. Letters from Raymond Rouleau (Le Theatre du groupe libre), Leopold Survage and Monette Wauters.
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5 |
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Correspondence 1926
15 items
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Includes: A letter from composer Georges Auric in which he talks about his work in Paris and mentions Diaghilev, Philemon et Baucis from Gounod and calls Poulenc "le plus doué de tous les jeunes musiciens français." Four letters from Hermann Closson, in
one of which he writes: "Tu passes outre au conseil que je t'ai donné de ne jamais meler mon nom a tes exercices quotidiens."
In another letter Closson reports to Mesens that André Breton wrote to him: "J'ai toujours tenu M. Mesens pour une ordure
a qui vous somme envers lui la mésure de ma charité." Two letters from an art dealer in Paris (Pierre Bertin?), about buying
a Modigliani. Letters from Hans Arp and Pierre Flouquet, a postcard from Huib Hoste and an announcement for the marriage of
Stella Teirlinck and Karel Maes.
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6 |
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Correspondence 1926
22 items
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Includes: Six letters in Dutch from Robert de Roos. In one letter he includes three short articles about performances at Pulchri
Studio and Haagsche Kunstkring, meant for publication in the magazine Music. A letter from Tristan Tzara states that he is ill ("troubles cardiaques suite d'intoxication, c'est très mystérieux." Two
letters from pianist Marcelle Meyer. Four postcards by Marcel Lecomte. A letter from Charley Toorop in which she states that
it would be interesting for architect Huib Hoste to see Rietveld's house. Three letters from Belgian artist Victor Servranckx.
One letter from Piet Zwart, one from Paul Joostens.
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7 |
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Correspondence 1927
15 items
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Includes: Three letters from Camille Goemans who stays in Paris with Max Ernst; Goemans talks about buying two De Chirico
paintings and one Mirò, and writes: "oui, je vois Magritte assez regulièrement." Letter from Jacques Hébertot who wants Mesens
as a correspondent for one of his publications. A postcard from Kurt Schwitters. Letters from Eric de Hauteville, the magazine
Der Querschnitt, Pierre de Massot, Paul Neuhuys and three by unidentified writers.
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Correspondence 1928 21 items |
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Includes: Letter from a Parisian gallery about the Gustave de Smet retrospective. Postcard from Léo Gestel in which he confirms
that he is sending five paintings by Gustave de Smet to Amsterdam (they would later go to Brussels). Postcard from F.G. van
Haele who sends four de Smets to Brussels. A letter from Gallery Georges Giroux, confirms that they will reserve space from
5-16 January 1929 for the de Smet retrospective. Letter from Hermann Closson to P.G. van Hecke, about a conflict between Mesens
and Closson. Telegram and "Reçu" from Crotti that prove that Mesens bought four De Chirico's from him. Letter from Marcel
Duchamp about a possible Picabia exhibition in Belgium. Letter from Marcel Noll who does not comprehend why Mesens exhibits
work by De Chirico at his gallery (Galerie de L'Epoque). Draft letter from Mesens to Noll in which he replies: "Quand à vos
emmerdations, avalez-les. C'est le meilleur usage que vous pouvez faire." Letter and postcard from Oscar Jespers. Three letters
by unidentified authors.
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9 |
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Correspondence 1928
16 items
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Includes: Six items related to de Smet retrospective: letters from Gallery Le Centaure, Pirard, Jan Milo, André Pisart, and
P.A. Regnault list works by de Smet. Letter from imprimerie Puvrez with bill for René Magritte. Two letters from R. F. de
Roos deal with his compositions. Three letters from Philippe Soupault (editor of Kra), one of which deals with the possibilities of distributing the magazine Variétés in France. A letter from H. P. L. Wiessing about the representation of Variétés in The Netherlands.
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Correspondence 1928 9 items |
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Most letters respond to Mesens's invitation to exhibit in a photography exhibition he is planning at Galerie L'Epoque. Letters
from Maurice van Essche, Erich Consemüller (Bauhaus, Dessau), Eli Lotar, Germaine Krull-Ivens, Bernice Abbott (2), letter
with list of photos for exhibit from A. Kertész, a letter from Andre de Ridder, postcard and poem from Jean Scutenaire. One
letter from Mesens to Breton.
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11 |
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Correspondence 1929 28 items |
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Includes: Two letters from André Breton deal with the "épreuves" of a magazine ( Variétés?). Two letters from B. Charlet of gallery Le Centaure in which he states that gallery L'Epoque has been taken over by gallery
Le Centaure, however, Mesens may keep his functions. Five letters from Marc Eemans who writes that he has heard that Mesens
went to Paris to assist at a surrealist congress. Letters from Galerie d'Art Contemporain, La Carrière de Fontainebleau, Musical
agency Harry Belien, Galerie Jeanne Bucher, Willy Dortu, Paul Eluard, Frau Ey, J. O. Fourcade (about a new revue Echanges). Postcard from Leo Gestel, about sending a few de Smet paintings.
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12 |
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Correspondence 1929 24 items |
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Twelve letters by André de Ridder deal with the business of selling art. In one letter he states "j'ai décidé de liquider
une partie de ma collection." He offers this part to Mesens. Three letters and seven postcards from John Van Klijn (for Galerie
V. de Margouliès et L. Schotte), deal with aspects of art dealing. One postcard from Galerie Manteau and one from Jean Milo.
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13 |
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Correspondence 1929 26 items |
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Includes: A letter from Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes (dated 23-4-1929) in which he mentions attending a seance with Trotsky.
Ribemont-Dessaignes wants Mesens to write an article for Bifur about "les maisons closes à Anvers." In a draft letter to Ribemont-Dessaignes, Mesens writes that he did not mean to offend
him. Seven items from L. Schenis (Transports Internationaux), relate to transport of paintings. Letters from Publicité par photo, Revue du vrai et du beau, La Revue Moderne, H. Rouière, Philippe Soupault, Albert Valentin and Georges Vriamont.
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14 |
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Correspondence 1929
19 items
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Includes: Letter to Raymond Queneau about forming a collective. Letter in Dutch from Gustave de Smet in which he complains
about the incomplete exhibition of his work. In a letter to Jacques Doucet, Mesens invites Doucet to the de Smet retrospective.
Eight letters from J.G. Cloots (Galerie Manteau) deal with the work of Frits van den Berghe, Vlaminck, de Smet and De Chirico.
A few letters by unidentified authors. A groundplan of the retrospective of de Smet at the Galerie Georges Giroux.
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15 |
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Correspondence 1929 10 items |
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Includes: Paul Eluard telegram. Draft of letter from Mesens about Galerie L'Epoque (Bruxelles) written on the back of gallery
flyers. A list with prices. One letter each from Paul Joostens, Georges Ribemont-Dessaignes, Frank Wadsworth (?), and a hand-drawn
postcard with message from Jean Scutenaire.
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Correspondence 1930-1935 |
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1 |
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Correspondence 1930
21 items
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Includes: Four letters from Jacques Bonjean, in one of which he states that he wants to organize an exhibition of De Chirico.
Letters from Marc Eemans, René Guiette, G. Hirschfield and Paul Kenis (redacteur en chef of Week-End). Eight letters of unidentified authors.
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2 |
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Correspondence 1930 18 items |
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Includes: A letter from P.G. van Hecke in which he writes that the painters and sculptors J. Brusselmans, J. Cantré, Creten-George,
H. Daeye, G. de Smet, F. Jespers, O. Jespers, P. Maas, W. Paerels, H. Puvrez, Ramah, E. Tytgat and F. van den Berghe want
to form a society in order to promote "la Peinture et la Sculpture belges contemporaines," and that they want Mesens to join.
Two letters and a telegram from Jean Pirard. Three letters from André de Ridder. Letters from Galerie Le Centaure, Gustave
de Smet, Emile Tielemans, Norine van Hecke and Mrs Camille.
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3 |
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Correspondence 1931
14 items
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Includes: A letter from P.G. van Hecke accompanied by two copies of "notices confidentielles," which concern the founding
of a socialist revue called L'Ordre. The notices include a programme: "Les collaborateurs sont d'accord sur la constation d'un fait: le déclin du régime capitaliste
et la civilisation bourgeoise. Dans la revue, ils confronteront leurs théories et leurs expériences, rattachées tant à l'idéologie
socialiste, qu' aux doctrines communistes ou anarchistes." Letters from Pyke Koch, B. Charlet, Karin Leyden, Kor Postma, Robert
de Roos, and from Lucy Krohg to Dr. Barnes. Three letters and a "projet de contrat" from Charley Toorop. The contract is between
Toorop and the Palais des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles and concerns renting rooms for her own exhibition.
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Correspondence 1932 23 items |
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Includes: A letter from Emiel Langui, about organizing exhibitions of work by Charley Toorop (... cette exposition intéresse
moins les autres membres...) and René Magritte (le comité estime que le moment d'exhiber ces oeuvres à notre public n'est
pas encore arrivé...). Two draft letters (one written and one typed) to the editor of Le Rouge et le Noir, Pierre Fonteine,
about planning a seance on surrealism. One draft letter to Charles Peignot in which Mesens calls his International Exposition
of Photography a big success. Letters from J. G. Auriol, R. Bresson, A. Thirifays (Le Club de l'écran), Gustave de Smet, Joseph
Devos, Cesar Domela Nieuwenhuis, Huib Hoste, Paul Otlet, Ludo Patris, and an invitation to contribute to the Philadelphia
International Salon of Photography.
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Correspondence 1932 15 items |
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Includes: Letters to Mesens written in his role as Secretary of L'Exposition Internationale Palais des Beaux-Arts. These letters
are from Customs, Transport Gondrand, Maison Rose. Letters from Paul Lebeau, P. F. Morlion, G. A. A. Middelberg, Yvette Nyssens
(?). Letter from Louis de Beers to Claude Spaak, and letter from Mesens to J. F. Otten.
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6 |
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Correspondence 1932 20 items |
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Includes: Several letters that relate to the Exposition Internationale de Photographie (first held in Brussels and then in
several cities in Belgium and the Netherlands). Two letters from P. Sanders (Nederlandsche Filmliga in Leiden) in which he
states that the chances to exhibit in Rotterdam are good. In two letters to P. Sanders, Mesens wants to delay the exhibition
in Leiden. Letter from Tristan Tzara, which asks if James Ensor would like to make 15 "eaux-fortes" for the edition de luxe
of his new book l'anti-tête. Three letters from Charley Toorop deal with her plans to exhibit. Three letters from P.G. van Hecke. Letter from Kuni Matsuo,
correspondant of Yomiuri, asks Mesens to collaborate at an exhibition of French art in Tokyo, December 1932. Several letters from unidentified authors
deal with the international exhibition.
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Correspondence 1933 26 items |
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Includes: Two letters from Benjamin Péret, one letter (dated 10-5-1932) states that he plans to go to Mexico to meet Breton
and wants to know what boat to take from Antwerp. Letter from André Breton states that a painting by Magritte was damaged
during transport. Letter from Gaston Derijcke in which he explains the intentions of the revolutionary revue Documents 33. Letters from Ossip Zadkine, Inge Albert, André Delons, van Hecke, Sougez, Andreas Feininger, Werner Rohde, Rudolph Schneider,
Charley Toorop, Hirsch (Librairie Gallimard). Draft letters from Spaak and Mesens to several possible participants of the
second exhibition of photography.
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8 |
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Correspondence Paul Eluard 1933-1935 23 items |
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Nineteen letters and four postcards from Paul Eluard. Some letters are undated (but were found in dated files). Includes:
Letter dated 1933 contains notes for a preface, mentions Tristan Tzara's "Grains et issues" in number 6 of Le surréalisme au service de la Révolution. Letter dated 1933 states that Eluard wants to publish as soon as possible on the affair Nozières and also states: "je me
méfie un peu de ses (De Chirico) théories sur la peinture à l'oeuf ou sur le glacis raphaëlique." Undated letters (from 1934
file) deal with selling a De Chirico (owned by Breton), the size of illustrations of Ernst, Man Ray and Dali in a revue, the
sending of "epreuves." On 17 October 1934 Eluard writes:"je suis indigné que tu ne réponds à aucun des nombreux points de
ma lettre." Eluard refers to his long (6-sided) letter of 4 October in which he makes numerous points and suggestions for
Documents 34. He also writes: "ces derniers jours, Nusch et moi avons vécu d'un stock de chocolat à l'eau." In a letter (envelop dated
1934) he states "je suis plus malade que je veux bien le dire." He calls L'Invention collective one of the best works of Magritte (envelope dated 1934).
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9 |
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Correspondence 1934
23 items
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Includes: Two letters from Gala Dali about a possible exhibition of Salvador Dali's work in Belgium. Letter from S. Cordier
proposes a special issue on surrealism for Documents 34. Three letters and a note from Demoustier. The note explains the conception of his Region du Coeur. Letter from René Baert insults Mesens by calling him "valet de bourgeoisie." Letters from Tristan Tzara, Galerie Jeanne
Bucher, Roger Caillois, Bertha Edersheim, Maurice Henry, Graindorge, Elsie Houston, Pierre Loëb and Edouard Loëb.
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10 |
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Correspondence 1934
18 items
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Includes: Six letters and one postcard from Yves Tanguy (one letter is to Paul Eluard). They deal with Tanguy's financial
difficulties and the planning of his exhibition at the Guggenheim gallery in New York. Letter from Jehan Mayoux about his
book Ma tête à couper, in which he mentions Tanguy's exhibition in New York. Letter from Jan Tschichold, who was put in prison by the Nazis, and
writes to Mesens, "bataillez contre le fascisme." Letters from Valentine Prax, Marco Ristitch, André Souris, Guillermo de
Torre (director of revue Diablo Mundo), and Jean Stéphane of Assoc. Revolutionaire Culturelle (A.R.C.).
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11 |
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Correspondence 1935
23 items
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Includes: Two letters from the marxist organization A.R.C. (Mesens and Nougé were members) in which subjects for two meetings
are proposed. Four letters from the lawyer Achille Chavée; in one letter he writes: "je suis heureux d'apprendre que la déclaration
collective sortira incessamment." Letter from Simone de Grave who writes: "Puis je vous demander de continuer à me tenir au
courant de l'activité surréaliste en Belgique?" Letters from Charley Toorop, Jeanne Bucher, J. G. Auriol. Postcards from Tristan
Tzara, Servais and Demoustier and Jean Dieu (who writes "mes jours sont comptés"). Letters from Jean Stéphane, Maurice Singer,
Achille Chavée. Nine poems from Jean Dieu.
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12 |
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Correspondence 1935
14 items
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Includes: Letter from Mary Gibson, the curator at the Cooper Union, about a painting by Anto Carte. Two letters by V. W. van
Gogh in which he states that he is willing to lend work by Vincent for an exposition. Postcard from Adelien Hartveld, student
who travelled to the U.S.S.R. Letter to Baron van der Heydt in which Mesens asks to borrow Impressionist works. Letters by
Henri Le Boeuf, Marcel Lecomte (about a manifesto that deals with the Franco-Russian alliance), André Lorent, Georges Marlier
(who wants to publish "L'Etat présent de la peinture moderne"). Letter by Knud Lundbaek mentions that he is collaborator to
the Danish surrealist revue Linien.
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| 3 |
13 |
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Correspondence 1935
13 items
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Includes: Three letters by Jehan Mayoux in one of which he states Yves Tanguy will illustrate his book. Letter from M. Mouradian
who has a De Chirico for sale. Two letters from Claude Spaak. Letters from Louis Scutenaire and Irene Hamoir, Hans Hoste,
Max Michotte, André de Ridder.
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| box |
|
| 4 |
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Correspondence 1936-1941 |
| 4 |
1 |
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Correspondence 1936
19 items
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Includes: Two letters from André Breton to René Magritte. In one letter Breton proposes a title for one of Magritte's paintings
( Les Menottes de cuivre), mentions the big surrealist exhibition they are planning in London, asks Magritte to send 6 important paintings and states
"...nous avons décidé hier soir de fonder une nouvelle revue surréaliste de combat...." In a draft letter to Breton, Mesens
writes for Magritte who is too ill, saying that Magritte is willing to lend a few paintings. Letter from Breton in which he
writes about the upcoming London exhibition: "... si l'exposition réalise des bénéfices, ceux-ci devraient être répartis entre
les organisateurs, à commencer par toi, Eluard et moi." Letter from the Commissariat de Propaganda (Catalonia) in which the
writer complains about the neutrality of the European community and asks Mesens for help. Letter from Dutch artist Willem
Van Der Does who lives in Indonesia and wants to have an exhibition in Brussels. Letter from architect G. Bontinck who wants
to know the costs of renting space in the Palais des Beaux-Arts. Four letters by Achille Chavée, in one (not dated) of which
he threatens to leave the Belgian surrealist group. Letters from Alberto Cavalcanti, Elsa Eichmann, Editions Cahiers d'Art. Postcards from Fernand Dumont and Marcel Duchamp. One letter from Yves Tanguy.
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| 4 |
2 |
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Correspondence 1936
21 items
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Includes: Three letters from Paul Eluard. In one letter he writes: "il serait trop difficille de t'expliquer par lettre toutes
les raisons de mon désaccord avec Breton et de mon renoncement total à toute activité collective surréaliste." On 15 October
he announces his new book: Les Yeux fertiles. In an undated letter he writes: "Breton et moi avons dû vaincre certaines résistances au sujet du manifeste collectif."
Eluard has no money and feels ill. Seven extensive letters from Inge Eichmann from different locations (New York, Prague,
Michigan). Eight letters from Robert Giron to Mesens, who is with Roland Penrose in London, mostly deal with practical matters.
Letters from René Gaffé and René Guiette. A postcard from Huib Hoste.
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| 4 |
3 |
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Correspondence 1936
18 items
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Includes: Three letters from Wassily Kandinsky to the London Gallery, discuss practical matters related to the exhibition
of his work in London. Three letters by Edvard Munch to the London Gallery: Munch mentions which paintings may be sold. Letter
from Henry Miller who asks Mesens if he will review Tropic of Cancer and Black Spring. Letter from Peter Norton, owner of the London Gallery, saying that he wants to distance himself from the gallery: "Je serais
même prête à vous livrer la galérie sans paiement capital." Two letters from Benjamin Péret. From Barcelona he writes: "la
situation ici est beaucoup meilleure qu'on ne peut le croire en lisant les journaux de France et de Belgique." Two postcards
and a letter from Roland Penrose. Letters from Max Vanlet, Jehan Mayoux and Edouard de Nève.
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| 4 |
4 |
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Correspondence 1936
20 items
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Includes: Four items related to The Olympic games under the auspices of a dictatorship (D.O.O.D) exhibition, organised in Amsterdam in the summer of 1936. Mesens was the main organiser of the Belgian section
of this international protest. Letters from Charles Ratton, G. F. Reber, André de Ridder, the conductor André Souris, Rita
Stretell, Maja Sacher, van Hecke (in which he mentions the Belgian fascist leader Degrelle), Dutch surrealist Emile van Moerkerken,
Henri van der Putten. Three letters from A. Zwemmer (Zwemmer Gallery).
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| 4 |
5 |
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Correspondence 1937
22 items
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Includes: Two letters from André Breton who wants paintings by Magritte and Delvaux for a surrealist exhibition that he is
organizing. Letter from Fernand Demoustier complains that there is nothing going on with the Belgian surrealist movement:
"je vais tenter un dernier effort pour remettre le groupe "Rupture" sur pied." Two letters from Gustave de Smet. A telegram
and a letter from Marcel Duchamp to the London Gallery (Mrs. Norton). A letter from Max Ernst to the London Gallery. Three
letters and four postcards from Paul Eluard. Two postcards from Librairie Corti. Two letters by René Gaffé.
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| 4 |
6 |
|
Correspondence 1937
29 items
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Includes: Twelve letters from Robert Giron, deal with organizing exhibitions (Ernst, Magritte, Santa Marie) and selling art.
Letters from Olivier Picard, Fernand Graindorge, René Graindorge, Floris Jespers. Three letters from Wassily Kandinsky to
Norton (the London Gallery) mention his retrospective in Switzerland. Six letters from Louis Marcoussis mainly deal with preparations
for an exhibition in Brussels. Essay by Marcel Mariën: "ce que j'ai retunu de ma vie" and collages (which use the work of
Whistler, Poussin and Jules Breton).
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| 4 |
7 |
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Correspondence 1937
28 items
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Includes: Two letters from the London Gallery. Two letters from Minestère de l'instruction publique. A letter from Roland
Penrose, who wants to buy a collection from A. Zwemmer (Miró, Picasso, De Chirico). A letter and a postcard from Benjamin
Péret. Three letters from George Reavey (director of the European Literary Bureau). Six letters, one postcard and one news
clipping on Andrés de Santa Marie from André de Ridder. Letters from P.G. van Hecke, Geert van Bruaene, Albert Verwey, Alfred
Wickenburg and Prosper de Troyer.
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| 4 |
8 |
|
Correspondence 1938
36 items
|
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Includes: Letter from Alfred Barr (MOMA, New York) who writes: "I am glad to hear of the success of René Magritte." Letter
from Homer Saint-Gaudens (Carnegie Institute). Letter from Achille Chavée, states: "Pour le manifeste surréaliste: tu as l'accord
de André Lorent, Jean Dieu, Fernand Dumont et moi-même." Four letters from Robert Giron (Société auxiliare des expositions
du Palais des Beaux-Arts) who writes "...vous êtes liberé de toutes obligations vis-à-vis de la société auxiliare des expositions
du Palais des Beaux-Arts." Letters from Ingeborg Eichmann, Pierre Fonteine (Le Rouge et le Noir), Paul Haessaerts, Julien
Levy, the critic Eric Newton, Charles Ratton, A. de Ridder, C. M. de Hauke, Jacques Seligmann, Charley Toorop, Ministery of
Education to Prosper de Troyer, Olivier Picard, Zwemmer Gallery. One letter from Georges Hugnet, who is organizing an international
surrealist exhibition in Amsterdam and asks Mesens if he will ask Magritte and Delvaux to participate.
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| 4 |
9 |
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Correspondence 1938
30 items
|
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Includes a very personal letter from Sybil Mesens ("I do not wish to go on living with you unless you stop drinking and you
have so often promised to do so."). Letters from Julian Huxley, J. L. Bédouin, Alban, and a letter from Wassily Kandinsky
to Mrs. Norton, and one letter each from Roland Penrose, Dora Maar and Miro.
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| 4 |
10 |
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Correspondence Paul Eluard 1938
9 items
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Eight letters from and one to Paul Eluard. In one letter Eluard is very positive about the London Bulletin. In his letter Mesens complains about his illness and states, "...nous, surréalistes belges, considérons, 'Le Courrier des
poètes' et son directeur [Pierre Flouquet] comme tout ce qu'il y a de plus confussionnel en Belgique." Pierre Flouquet called
Mesens a "salle dadaïste." Other letters are about translations and Roland Penrose.
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| 4 |
11 |
|
Correspondence 1939
26 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: One letter (four sides) from André Buvy in which he gives the details of the splitting of the group Rupture. Chavier
and Demoustier left this group and started another one. Buvy writes: "le stalinisme agressif et buté de Chavée et ses suiveurs
rendait impossible toute discussion sérieuse." A letter from André Lorent, who is mobilized, also talks about the breakup
of Rupture, stating "Il va sans dire que je n'ai rien de commun avec le groupe soi disant surrealiste (!!!) du Hainaut (Chavée
and Demostier)." Two letters by Alfred Barr and one by his secretary about paintings by Picasso. Two draft letters by Mesens
to Barr. Letters from Nancy Chilton, Paul Delvaux, Dorothy Duchemin, René Gaffé, Grete Grossner (about the artists refugee
committee), Frances Hodgkins (participating in Living art in England), Christine Hostelet-Bertrand, Georges Hugnet (three
pages), Marcel Lecomte. Letter from Ithell Colguhoun, mentions that few people care about art at that moment, but she continues
to write and paint. She also writes critically of Herbert Read.
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| 4 |
12 |
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Correspondence 1939
15 items
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|
|
Includes: Extensive correspondence between Pierre Matisse and Mesens (several draft letters by Mesens) about selling La Terre labourée by Miró to Pierre Matisse gallery. Letter to Gerald Barry in which Mesens tells about the upcoming auction of Degenerate
art in Luzern, which he proposes to write about for News Chronicle. Letter from Henry Moore who sends three pictures and says that he can send a sculpture to an exhibition. Letter from Peter
Norton and a letter from Noel Norton to Fischbacher. Postcard from Paul Nougé. Two letters from Paul Eluard who writes that
he and Mesens have been out of touch for a long time. He writes about the split between Tzara and Breton ("je suis absolument
solidaire de Breton pour la collaboration à Minotaure").
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| 4 |
13 |
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Correspondence 1939
35 items
|
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|
Includes: Three letters and a postcard from André de Ridder. Two letters from Jean Scutenaire, in one of which he talks about
two texts he sent for the London Bulletin, a poem "Hommes Damnés," and a review of Eluard's Donner à voir ("un des livre les
plus justes, les plus utiles, les plus complets. Le plus rayonnant qui soit."). Correspondence (six letters) between Thannhauser
and Mesens about the price of a Picasso drawing (Profil au chignon). In one letter to Thannhauser Mesens mentions the London Bulletin: "Cette publication a de plus en plus de succès en Angleterre et en Amérique...." Two letters from Dorothea Ventus who writes:
"The exhibition of the Mesens-Penrose collection must be the one live spot in London...." She tells Mesens to stay in Europe.
Letter from R. Ubac.
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| 4 |
14 |
|
Correspondence 1940
25 items
|
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|
Includes: A long letter from André Breton in which he writes about his break with Eluard ("Tu souhaites que je fasses la paix
avec M. Eluard....") and calls Eluard's Donner à voir "...un ouvrage de compilation misérable." He also mentions the rupture
with Dali and Aragon, "...je te répète que je ne veux pas que la voix du surréalisme soit encombrée de cadavres." Letter from
James Dewen. In a letter to Dewen, Mesens states that he is the founder of the surrealist group in Belgium and Penrose the
founder of the English group. Letter from Robert Giron mentions the success of the Delvaux exhibition in the Palais des Beaux-Arts.
Several correspondents ask about information on surrealism: G. Tidcombe, M. Hudston, Holger Jensen-Holst. Letters from John
Summerson, Valerie Cooper, Rita Kernn-Larsen (includes a manuscript by Jacques Vermont), Rex Kivell, Conroy Maddox, Robert
Melville and van Hecke. Postcard from Henry Moore. One letter from Gordon Onslow-Ford with a list of paintings.
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| 4 |
15 |
|
Correspondence 1941
14 items
|
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Includes: Two letters from the Ministère de L'Instruction Publique (resided in London during the war) deal with a meeting
of Belgians in London. Three letters and a postcard from Margaret Bernal. In a five-page letter to Stéphane Cordier Mesens
talks about the Belgian army and states: "Si l'on ne me libère pas, ce sera ma mort." Letters from Kurt Schwitters, Paul Weyemberg,
Camille Huysmans, Valentine Penrose. Two letters to Sybil (his wife), in one of which he writes extensively about his military
service. Letter to and from Moura Lymapany; she wants to contribute to the Belgian program on B.B.C. radio.
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| box |
|
| 5 |
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Correspondence 1942-1947 |
| 5 |
1 |
|
Correspondence 1942
16 items
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|
Includes: Letter from Alfred Barr (MOMA) about selling a Picasso to Onslow- Ford. Four letters from the B.B.C. (Leonard Isaacs
and Victor de Laveleye) concern booking an orchestra and Mesens's medical record. Letter from Robert Melville asks Mesens
for the address of Humphrey Jennings because a friend wants to make a film documentary. A letter from the London Museum (E.
H. Ramsden) about the exposition New Movements in Art: contemporary work in England. A note from Commandant Streel (Belgian
army) says that Mesens "a été mis en congé sans solde." Four items deal with a poem by Mesens that he wants to publish in
Message. P. Vermeylen advises him to send it to the editor of Horizon. 2 newsletters from N. Egon ( The Seminar).
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| 5 |
2 |
|
Correspondence 1943
26 items
|
|
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|
Includes: Several draft letters to André Breton. In one letter Mesens mentions that he has read Breton's conference at Yale
and criticizes Toni del Renzio's anthology of surrealism. Two letters from John Atkins, literary editor of The Tribune, thank Mesens for sending him poems by Eluard. Letter from Penrose and Mesens to Raymond Mortimer about the translation of
Eluard's poem "Bientôt." Four letters (draft) to Roland Penrose: Mesens writes on 13 September: "H. Moore en est arrivé à
un degné de bassesse difficilement disputable." (Moore is making a statue of Virgin and child.) Mesens gives Penrose advice
on his translations of Mesens's poems. Five letters from Herbert Read (George Routledge and Son publishers) in which he confirms
that they want to publish Eluard's Poésie et Vérité. Six page draft letter to Herbert Read concerns a proposal to publish Eluard's and Breton's poems. Letters from Commandant
Streel, Michael Wishart, Camille Huysmans and Peter Rose Pulhan.
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| 5 |
3 |
|
Correspondence 1944
15 items
|
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|
Includes: a long draft letter to the Belgian Minister of Public Instruction and Fine Arts in which Mesens writes: "Il n'y
a jamais eu de bonne administration des Beaux-Arts en Belgique!" and "...ma colère est vielle de bientôt vingt ans." Mesens
wants to revise the Beaux-Arts instruction and states that he wants to change a large number of things. Two letters from Conroy
Maddox state that he does not want surrealism to become connected to politics and he mentions that Simon Watson Taylor wants
to start a new magazine. Letter from Edgar Berg. Letters from John Atkins, Jacqueline Breton, F. C. Dowling, Eric Hoodward,
Glenn Levering, John Mc Donald and Robert Melville.
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| 5 |
4 |
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Correspondence 1944
15 items
|
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|
Includes: A letter from Valentine Penrose from Algeria: she writes about poetry and art. Letter from Peter Rose Pulham in
which he criticizes army people. Three items related to Henry Treece. Treece writes, "I make no claim to be considered as
a surrealist." Two letters from P.G. van Hecke talk about the Occupation and mention that Delvaux and Magritte have produced
a lot of work. He gives Mesens permission to represent Les Editions Lumière and Variétés in London. Letter from "Francois" (Francis Lee) who survived D-day and a letter from Ross Nichols. Two notes from Herbert
Read.
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| 5 |
5 |
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Correspondence 1945
18 items
|
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|
Includes: correspondence with Robert Giron (4 letters), about organizing an exhibition in Brussels of young English artists.
Letter from A. Bowyen asks about Peggy Guggenheim. Five page letter from Ithell Colguhoun who writes on what surrealism should
be and on the forming of a surrealist group. Letter from Alex Comfort, writes: "I agree with you that his (Del Renzio) section
was a mistake." Letters from M. C. Glasgow (The Arts Council of Great Britain), W. J. Brown, R. D. Gibson, Jean Cammaert,
Pierre Crowel, Stephen Gilbert, J. W. Harrington, H. van Kruiningen (Nederlandse kring van grafici en tekenaars) and M. Levy.
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| 5 |
6 |
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Correspondence 1945
19 items
|
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|
Includes: four postcards (with paintings by Magritte) which form one letter from Marcel Mariën. He wants to make a "bilan
historique du Surrealisme." Postcard from Mariën to André Breton. Letter from Tony Reed and George Melly who write: "we wish
to associate ourselves more or less officially with the surrealist movement." Two letters from Peter Rose Pulhan: he can not
accept Mesens's offer for an exhibition. Letter from Herbert Read who mentions Eluard's official visit to London and asks:
"is this Eluard who is coming to England the same Eluard that we have admired and loved in the past, or is he a changed man?"
Letters from Robert Melville, Mesens to his wife (Sybil), Henri Parisot, Valentine Penrose, Olivier Picard, Conrad Senat,
Claude Serbanne. Most of these letters are requests for information on surrealism. One letter and book of poems from F. J.
Brown.
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| 5 |
7 |
|
Correspondence 1945
22 items
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|
Includes: Three letters from Simon Watson Taylor (secretary of the English surrealist group), two from Egypt, who writes "There
is a considerable amount of interest in surrealism generally." Letter from Roland Penrose to Watson Taylor. Penrose is happy
that the surrealist group in England is forming again. Correspondence between Watson Taylor and several people who want information
on surrealism. Draft letter from Mesens to Patrick Waldberg. Two letters from New York by Patrick Waldberg. In a 5 pp. letter
he writes about exhibits of the surrealists (Max Ernst, Yves Tanguy) in the U.S.A, and writes extensively on what Breton and
the other surrealists are doing. He mentions the disharmony between Ernst and Breton: "Max Ernst et André ne se parlent plus.
Ils se croisent à des vernissages, sans se reconnaître...."
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| 5 |
8 |
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Correspondence 1946
19 items
|
|
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|
Includes: Four pp. letter from Robert Crévits who writes: "Je me suis aperçu que le surrealisme était de plus en vogue en
Amérique." Letter from Hem Day (Pensée et Action), about a reunion at Cambridge ("War Resisters International") which mentions
that he gave talks on Aragon and Marinetti. Letter from and to Edouard Helman: he and Mesens have an argument. Letter from
Robert Giron (Société Auxiliare des expositions du Palais des Beaux-Arts) talks about the Paul Delvaux exhibition and mentions
that Delvaux does not want to be commercially affiliated with Mesens or anybody else. Letters from H. Burg, Douglas Cooper,
Lucien Courtaud, Jacques Denis, Alain Gerbrandt, René Guilly, Warren Smith (Harvard University Press), Bernard Hogben (about
an article on James Ensor) and Jacqueline Kennish (her resignation as manager for Mesens).
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| 5 |
9 |
|
Correspondence 1946
21 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Seven letters from Wifredo and Helena Lam. Wifredo writes "...Breton avec qui nous avons passé presque 3 mois ensemble
en Haiti, nous avait toujours parlé de vous avec les plus grands éloges." Helena writes: "J'espère que vous pouviez entrer
en contact avec Breton. Il a eu un succès fou à Paris." Letter from Francis Lee who filmed the liberation of Paris. Two letters
from Marcel Mariën who calls Delvaux a "decorateur de Bordels" and praises Magritte. Letter from Robert Melville supporting
the establishment of a reference library devoted to the history of 20th-century art. One letter and one manuscript from, and
three letters to Paul Nougé. The manuscript concerns the merits of Freud, Marx, surrealism and Magritte. Letters from Henri
Parisot, Colin MacInnes and Conroy Maddox.
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| 5 |
10 |
|
Correspondence 1946
15 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Two letters to and one from Robert Piron. Piron writes,"... et ai été heureux que vous alliez toujours assez bien,
à l'inverse du petit crevé d'Eluard." Mesens replies, "Je suis très peu en rapport avec la france car, comme vous le savez,
la plupart de nos anciens qui sont restés dans ce misérable pays on tourné vers un genre d'activité qui me fait vomir." Letter
from Claude Serbanne who praises the surrealist group in England. Letter from James Johnson Sweeney (MOMA) who wants The Bride for a Henry Moore retrospective. Letters from Peter Rose Pulham, André de Ridder, Kurt Schwitters, A. Trost, Jean Vidal.
Letters to Herbert Read and Jean Vidal.
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| 5 |
11 |
|
Correspondence 1946
30 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Ten letters and one postcard from Norine and Paul-Gustave van Hecke, van Hecke writes in a letter dated dimanche
matin: "..que les qualités techniques de Delvaux sont inférieures à ceux De Chirico est un non sens." In another letter he
states, "Hélas, de plus en plus, son [Magritte] cas ressemble à celui De Chirico et sa suite de chevaux et gladiateurs, quoique
les derniers Magritte c'est encore bien plus mauvais." He also talks about the painter Jenkel Adler. Six letters to and three
letters from George Vriamont deal with buying and selling a painting by Paul Klee. Letters from Patrick Waldberg and Peter
Watson. Letter to Alice Manteau in which Mesens talks about surrealist painters and their reputations.
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| box |
|
| 6 |
|
Correspondence 1947-1953 |
| 6 |
1 |
|
Correspondence 1947
15 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Five letters from Robert Melville give Mesens, who is in Brussels, news from London. Four letters from P.G. van
Hecke congratulate Mesens on all his activities. Letter from P. da Costa who writes: "les dernières peintures de Max sont
blouissantes." Two letters from Wifredo Lam from Havana. Letters from Alfred Barr (MOMA), Simon Watson Taylor and Conroy Maddox.
|
| 6 |
2 |
|
Correspondence 1947
16 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Five pp. letter to van Hecke in which Mesens talks about a cubist show he organised. Letters from Roland Penrose,
George Reavey, Eric Newton, Annemarie Henle, Alexander Comfort, Peter Rose Pulham, Georges Vriamont, Alice Holicker (about
lending a painting by Marcoussis), J. Vilato to Roland Penrose. Letters from George and Maud?, Jacques? and Yvonne?.
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| 6 |
3 |
|
Correspondence 1948
16 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Letter from André Breton asking Mesens for contributions to the Almanach de L'Art Brut. Three letters to and one
from Jean Dubuffet deal the article that Mesens wrote for the Almanach de L'Art Brut on the work of Scottie Wilson. Three letters from P.G. van Hecke. He talks about paintings by Magritte and announces that
he is candidate for the post of directeur de la section Arts et Lettres de Unesco. Letters from Robert Melville, Bill Baxter,
Ludwig Meidner, Peter Watson and Paul Colinet.
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| 6 |
4 |
|
Correspondence 1948
21 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: In four extensive letters to George Melly, Mesens explains to the young man how the art business works and what
is expected from him. Four letters from Feliks Topolski. A short manifesto from the surrealist group in Birmingham. Letters
from James Soby (writing a book on De Chirico), Rodolfo Pallucchini (Biennale di Venezia), Aleksander Zyw, Johann Ulrich Gasser,
Austin Cooper, Alfred Barr. Letters to publisher Albert Skira and to Roland Penrose (about exhibition of Man Ray).
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| 6 |
5 |
|
Correspondence 1949
21 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Nine letters from Paul-Gustave van Hecke in one of which he mentions that he is organizing the exhibition Poésie de la mer in Ostende and wants Mesens's Magritte. Letter from Emile Langui thanks Mesens for his contribution to the show Les Gloires de la Peinture Moderne. Two letters from P. Janlet ask where Roland d'Ursel can exhibit in London. Two letters from an author who wants to return
to Europe. Letters from Simon Watson Taylor, Fredric Károly, Paul Colinet, Michael Ross (The British Council) and Mrs. Jaap
Mooy.
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| 6 |
6 |
|
Correspondence 1949
32 items
|
|
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|
Includes: Letter from James Thrall Soby who writes: "...De Chirico did not reach his mature style, that is, get rid of Böcklin's
influence in color, until 1913." A program for Festival et concours International de Chant et de Piano (August 1949). Two
letters from Australian artist Robert Klippel tell about the gallery La Dragonne and André Breton and he says "I have always
felt that you try to do all in your power to help younger artists to get established." Letters from J. J. Sweeney, Michael
Bullock, R. André, Baron Braun, Mary Callery, Sven Blomberg, R. Osborn ( Opinion), Joyce Wittenborn, Austin Cooper, John Pemberton, Margaret Miller and Alfred Barr (MOMA, New York), Ewan Philips (about
a meeting of the I.C.A.), Benedict Nicolson (concerns the International congress of art critics), Michael Ross (British artists
at the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles) and Rudolf Springer (German artists exhibition in England). Letters to Mary Callery, Edith Baxter (aka Rimmington) and Sybil
Mesens.
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| 6 |
7 |
|
Correspondence 1950
14 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Letter from Joan Miró who has heard that Mesens organized an exhibition of his work. Two letters from P.G. van Hecke.
Letter from Douglas Cooper to Mr. Hecht in which Cooper writes: "But no self respecting person can set foot in the London
Gallery which is presided over by a lunatic Belgian." Three letters, a manuscript and a photograph from Edith Rimmington (two
letters are dated 1945 and 1946). Letters from Olga Picabia, Desmond Morris (gives a biographical note for a catalog), G.
J. Nellens (Direction du Casino-Kursaal-Communal de Knokke) and Marcel Jean.
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| 6 |
8 |
|
Correspondence 1950
22 items
|
|
|
|
Includes: Letter to Carlo van den Bosch in which Mesens announces "j'ai décidé de mettre fin aux activités de The London Gallery
Ltd." Letter to J. M. de Vlieger in which Mesens talks about his own poetry. Letter from Edgar Berg congratulates Mesens on
his success. Five short letters from Curt Valentin (Buchholz Gallery). Letter to Sybil Mesens in which Mesens writes about
his stay in Belgium and Paris. Letter from Roland Penrose about selling the gallery. Letters from F. Edebau (Bibliotheek Oostende),
Hugh Chisholm (wants a work by Tanguy), Daniel Catton Rich (the Art Institute of Chicago), W. Gaunt. Financial notes by Mesens.
Letters to J. G. Nellens, André Breton, José Auguste França. One letter to Sybil, n.d. (c.1950-51).
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| 6 |
9 |
|
Correspondence 1951
20 items
|
|
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|
Includes: Five letters from Philippe Dotremont about the insurance and travel of the works of art he lent to the exhibition
75 oeuvres du demi-siècle. Letter to Philippe Dotremont. Six letters and one postcard from Paul-Gustave van Hecke about an exhibition in Knokke. Letters
from André Breton and Benjamin Péret (the affair Carrouges), G. Luca and D. Trost, Mies Grossauw (wants to sell a Picabia and an Ernst). Letter from André de Ridder to J. M. de Vlieger.
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| 6 |
10 |
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Correspondence 1951
34 items
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Includes: Six items related to selling works by Dubuffet and Survage to Leon Legrand. Letters from art dealers Thannhauser
and Kahnweiler. Two letters from and one to Katharine Kuh (Art Institute of Chicago) who wants information on paintings by
Fernand Leger that are located in Belgium. Letters from P. Janlet, Tekla Hess (receipt), H. M. Toussaint, Maurice Carlier.
Eleven items that relate to selling a Pemberton painting to John Morris.
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| 6 |
11 |
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Correspondence 1951
29 items
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Includes: Letter to and from Frank Edebau who is organizing an exhibition called La Peinture sous le signe de la mer. Mesens wants to lend a Permeke, a de Smet and a Magritte. Eight items document the sale of two Klees to Mrs. Eda Huston.
Twelve items about Mesens buying a Feininger from Hans Hess (The Museum and Art Gallery). Letters from H. Toussaint, Georges
Vriamont, Rex de C. Nan Kivell, Legation de Suisse en Grande-Bretagne.
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| 6 |
12 |
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Correspondence 1951
24 items
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Includes: Letter to and from Louis Manteau: Mesens wants to return to Belgium and become director of Louis Manteau's gallery.
Letters from Pierre Janet, Frank Edebau, A. Boulanger (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Liège), Gilbert Périer, Emile Langui (Secretariat
General de Propagande Artistique), Carlo van den Bosch, Roland Letten, and M. Mabille deal with the exhibition 75 oeuvres du Demi-Siècle, organized by Mesens in Knokke. Letters to and from Alberto Magnelli, (about selling his Nuance repetée), Philippe Dotremont
(about insuring his paintings), J. B. Urvater (Mesens wants to sell a Gris and Feininger). Letters to H. Hartung, Louis Camu
and to Mary Wykeham.
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| 6 |
13 |
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Correspondence 1952
24 items
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Includes: Sixteen letters from Paul-Gustave van Hecke about a Magritte exhibition in Knokke. One page of Mesens's notes re
a Magritte painting. Letter from and to Olga Picabia regard Mesens lending Francis Picabia's La Ville de New York aperçue à travers le corps to an exhibition. Letter from Raoul Haussmann, about "Clichés de Mecano." One letter from Charley Toorop.
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| 6 |
14 |
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Correspondence 1952
23 items
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Includes: Three letters to Norine and P.G. van Hecke in which Mesens complains about his mental condition and English surtaxes.
Two letters from André de Ridder ask Mesens for help obtaining a sculpture by Raymond Duchamp. Seventeen items relate to Geert
Van Bruaene, including four postcards and two short letters.
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| 6 |
15 |
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Correspondence 1952
34 items
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Includes: Ten items from Geert van Bruaene include a poem by Guido Gezelle and a letter about statues from Nouvelle-Caledonie
and Guinée. Two notes from Alex Reid's gallery. Letter from J. M. de Vlieger about selling Ensor's L'Entrée du Christ. Letters to Julie Lawson, Gustave Kahnweiler, Philippe Dotremont. Letters from Henri Toussaint, Paul Colinet, La Risse. Fourteen
items relate to selling a number of pictures owned by Mesens (Delvaux, Ernst, etc.) by Gallery Georges Giroux.
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| 6 |
16 |
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Correspondence 1952
19 items
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Includes: Eight letters from and five letters to Marcel Mabille. The correspondence concerns the selling and shipping of papiers
collés de Laurens to Mabille. Two short letters from and one to Frank Davey. One letter from Robert Giron.
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| 6 |
17 |
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Correspondence 1952
16 items
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Includes: Five letters, a telegram and invitation from J. B. Urvater, and six letters from Mesens to Urvater. Most letters
deal with selling paintings (Matisse, Metzinger, Max Ernst and Miró). In one letter Mesens writes: "Mon séjour, dans cette
clinique de cure naturelle et de traitement astéopathique, m'a fait le plus grand bien, mais il était hélàs trop court."
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18 |
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Correspondence 1953
30 items
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Includes: Letters from Olga Picabia, Pierre Janet, Curt Valentin, R. S. Le Roux, Paul-Gustave van Hecke (mentions death of
Claire de Smet), J. Buéso, Eric Lyndhurst. Letters to Edgar Tytgat, Jos. Vermant, Robert Delevoy (Delevoy wants to organize
a Ben Nicholson exhibition), Gerald Corcoran (about shipping works). Letter to and from Jean Paulhan re Mesens's poem which
was not accepted by the N. R. F. Letter to and from Robert Lebel: Mesens compliments Lebel on his Confrontations, and Lebel mentions that he received criticism for his Premier Bilan de L'Art Actuel. Seven letters from and three to Marcel Mabille deal mostly with the selling works of art, especially Fernand Leger, Miró,
Picasso. Mesens writes, "je me souviens très bien vous avoir prédit, il y a moins d'un an, un grand mouvement (international)
dans le marché du peintre Fernand Léger."
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Correspondence 1954-1961 |
| 7 |
1 |
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Correspondence 1954
31 items
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Includes: Three letters from and one to the director of the Stedelijk Museum of Amsterdam, Willem Sandberg, about planning
an exhibition of Max Ernst at the Stedelijk. Letters from Francis Picabia, Marcel Jean, Patrick Waldberg, Ainslee Ellis (promoting
the painter Erno Monda). Two letters to and one from James Thrall Soby, to whom Mesens gives information about the influence
of De Chirico on the work of Magritte and Delvaux. Two letters to and one from Willian Copley. Two letters to J. B. Urvater.
Letters from the Museum of Gent/Gand and L. Eeckman (insurance). In a letter to Nina Dausset Mesens writes that he can lend
her a Delvaux and Magritte. Four letters to and three letters from Paul Eeckhout, curator of the Museum of Gent/Gand, about
Mesens selling works by Permeke, de Smet, van den Berghe to the museum.
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2 |
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Correspondence 1954
39 items
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Includes: Letter to Benedict Goldsmitt in which Mesens writes: "Ma principale ambition depuis quelques années est de pouvoir
collaborer à l'édification d'un réel Musée d'Art Moderne en Europe et de pouvoir diriger un tel organisme." Letters to Robert
Delevoy, Umbro Apollonio (Mesens complains that he did not get the Biennale catalog), Pierre Janet, J. B. Urvater, Alexandre
Iolas (about Magritte's exhibition Word Versus Image). Two letters from and two to Alfred Barr. Barr asks: "The Magritte decoration sounds fascinating. What a wonderful idea-
I suppose it was yours?" Mesens replies: "No the Magritte panorama idea was theirs." Letters from Museum of Gent (they do
not accept Mesens's offer of 11 paintings), James Thrall Soby, Galerie Louis Carré, Robert Giron, P.G. van Hecke, Helen Kapp,
Nina Dausset. Three letters from and two to Emile Langui regard Mesens lending works by Magritte ( L'Assasin menacé) to the exhibition Fantastique dans l'art Belge - De Jerome Bosch a Magritte held at the Venice Biennale. Six items relate
to shipping works by Magritte to the Sidney Janis Gallery, New York.
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3 |
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Correspondence 1954
34 items
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Includes: Eight letters to and seven letters from Robert Giron. Mesens and Giron organised a major exhibition of Magritte
at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, 1954. Most letters deal with the selection of works and disagreements. Mesens writes,
"Magritte ne tolère evidemment aucune critique: c'est un totalitaire...J'en ai assez!" Robert Giron replies, "... je crois
cependant qu'il est impossible de faire la rétrospective d'un peintre vivant sans tenir compte de ses désirs...." Letters
to Marcel Mabille, Emile Langui. Two letters from Alex Reid regard the Ben Nicholson exhibition. Four letters to and two from
Robert Delevoy (Galeries Apollo) with a list of the works by Nicholson that will be exhibited.
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| 7 |
4 |
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Correspondence 1955
26 items
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Includes: A telegram and article from André Breton, a letter to Breton. Letter to and from Joan Miró. Mesens wrote a poem
about Miro. Letters from Peter Rose Pulham, P.G. van Hecke, Roman Norbert Ketterer (Stuttgarter Kunstkabinett), Antony Borrow
( The London Broadsheet), Emile Langui and J. Van Lerberghe (Propagande Artistique). Letter to and from André de Ridder about Grand Cheval by Raymond Duchamp-Villon. Receipts and notes from Continentale Menkes and Assurances Compagnies. One letter from Philip
Granville.
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5 |
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Correspondence 1955
26 items
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Includes: A furious letter from Léon de Smet in which he writes: "Vous jouez vraiment au petit bonhomme, qui se croit supérieur
de pouvoir tout dire...Et maintenant au Diable, on se reverra, peut-etre en Enfer mais pas avant, j'en suis sure." Letters
from Roland Penrose, Robert Lebel, Peter Norton, Max Clarac-Séron (organizes Le Dessin Surréaliste), Umbro Apollonio. Letters
to James Thrall Soby, Julie Lawson, Simone Collinet and J. Trouillard. Two letters from and one to James Strachey who needs
an issue of Le Surréalisme au service de la Révolution. Three letters to J. Vandecauter: Mesens is organizing for C. A.W. the exhibition Les Points Cardinaux du Surréalisme. Seven letters from Robert Giron, about the Miró exhibition in the Palais des Beaux-Arts.
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| 7 |
6 |
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Correspondence 1956
19 items
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Includes: Two letters and a postcard from Bill (William) Copley. Three letters from and two to Herta Wescher. Letters from
Eileen ?, André de Ridder, F. Gotthelf (organizes Der Surrealismus und einige seiner Auswirkungen).
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| 7 |
7 |
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Correspondence 1956
22 items
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Includes: Two letters to and four letters from Marcel Mabille. Mabille is lending a Max Ernst to the C. A. W. exhibition in
Antwerp. Letters from Robert Giron, Pierre Crowet, J. M. de Vlieger. One letter to and two from Georges Willems. Letters to
Marc Hendrickx (Mesens offers him a large portion of his library/ archive), Simone Collinet, J. Vandecauter, H. L. C. Jaffé
(Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam). Postcard from Irene Hamoir.
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| 7 |
8 |
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Correspondence 1956
27 items
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Includes: Two letters to J. Vandecauter and two letters to Marcel Mabille. Three letters to and one from Heinz Berggruen about
the sale of a Paul Klee. Two letters to John Trouillard and three to J. B. Urvater. Letters to Georges Willems and Roland
Penrose. Letters from La Continentale Menkes, Stéphane Cordier, W. Willems (Filmsonor), Poupard-Lieussou, Robert Giron. Letter
to the editor of Le Soir in which Mesens writes that he wants his name on the list of persons protesting the "sanglante répression dont le peuple
hongrois vient d'être victime." In a six page letter to F. Gotthelf Mesens states: "Je dois vous avouer que les comités de
patronage ne m'intéressent PAS DU TOUT........ Tout comité de patronage est par définition Anti-Surréaliste."
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| 7 |
9 |
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Correspondence 1957
29 items
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Includes: Seven letters from André de Ridder who writes, "J'ai appris que tu étais également parmi les invités présents et
que tu as battu tous les records d'absorption de whisky. Tu es incorrigble!" Postcards from Paul Nougé, Benjamin Péret, Jean
Schuster and André Breton. Letters from Marcel Jean, Marc Eemans, Simone Collinet (Galerie Furstenberg), C. Livengood (Berri
Lardy et Cie), Edouard Loeb, Max Clarac-Séran (Galerie du Dragon), Stephane Jasinski, Berggruen et Cie, P. Neuhuys, Rose Fried,
Ariane Cordier, C. Vermeylen, "Garibaldi." Postcard from Poupard-Lieussou. Letter to Paul Bijtebier and J. van den Berghe.
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| 7 |
10 |
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Correspondence 1957
21 items
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Includes: Letters to Georges Willems, Jean Schuster, Georges Bernier, Sidney Janis, Marcel Jean, the architect Léo Lejeune
(Mesens bought land in Coxyde, Belgium), André Breton, Marcel Cuvelier (Mesens will write a poem to the glory of Eric Satie),
Walter Willems, Jan Van Herberghe, Noma Copley, Bill Copley. Letters from Max Clarac-Séran, Carroll Cartwright (The Junior
Council of MOMA, New York). Two collaged postcards from Jean Paulhan (College de Pataphysique). In a letter to Rose Fried,
Mesens writes, "It is since the Venice Biennale of 1954, where three of my early collages were exhibited in the Belgian Pavillion,
that I started assiduously to work again, and now on coloured collages."
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| 7 |
11 |
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Correspondence 1958
20 items
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Includes: Letter from André Breton, organizing a charity auction for Benjamin Péret who is living in horrible circumstances.
Two letters from Marcel Jean who needs illustrations for his book on surrealism. Three letters from P.G. van Hecke who has
been very ill. Six extensive letters from André de Ridder. He writes, "C'est avec plaisir que j'ai rendu hommage à ton talent,
trop souvent méconnu chez nous." Letters from Ewald Rathke (Kunstverein Dusseldorf) about organizing the first big Dada exhibition,
Wlaine Sepulche, E. Campendonk. Letter to and from Alfred Barr. Barr asks if Mesens can assist curator Bill Lieberman. Letters
to Jehan Mayoux and Kenneth Bayliss.
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| 7 |
12 |
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Correspondence 1958
32 items
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Includes: Letters to and from Ewald Rathke concern the Dada exhibition to which Mesens is lending objects. Letters to Mr.
Wittenborn, Simone Collinet, Ernst Schwitters (Mesens wrote an article about his father), J. G. Brunius, Emile Langui (Mesens
announces that a publisher is going to present a compilation of his poems 1923-1958), Carroll Cartwright, Mr. Sweeney, Erik
Losfeld, Fabrizio Mondadori, Mr. and Mrs. Stoclet, Pierre Janlet, Geert Van Bruaene. Letter to Mary Wykeham in which Mesens
writes: "As you know, I am a materialist, but I am also an integral individualist and therefore I think that each human being
should shape his life as he wants." Eight letters from and one to Robert Giron.
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| 7 |
13 |
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Correspondence 1959
28 items
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Includes: Two letters from Marcel Jean, three letters from Marc Eemans. Robert Lebel writes, "La Vente Péret a très bien marché."
He mentions that Peret can now buy an apartment near the Pantheon. Letter from Mrs. Crotti-Duchamp includes list of Dada-related
documents. Letters from André de Ridder, Guy Atkins, Emiel Berger, Michel Waldberg, Maurice Bérard. Two letters from Jeanne
Marie de Broglie. Two letters from Harold Diamond who writes: "Wait till she [Sybil] tells you about Coney Island, then you'll
want to come. It's a Surrealist paradise." Letters to Maurice Bérard, Mr. Goeminne, Richard Feigen and Léon Eeckman. Three
letters from unidentified authors.
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| 7 |
14 |
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Correspondence 1959
25 items
|
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Includes: Letters to Marcel Mabille, Paul Delvaux (Mesens asks for Paul's contribution to the Péret auction), Fabrizio Mondadori,
Edouard Jaguer (Mesens talks about his busy schedule), F. and J. Walckiers (Mesens sells his land in Coxyde), Jan Van Herberghe.
In a letter to André Breton Mesens writes, "Que se passe-t-il? J. J. Lebel m'écrit que 'Paalen s'est empoisonné sur une montagne
du Mexique et Jean-Pierre Duprey pendu dans son atelier.'" Funerary text for Benjamin Péret: "Mon cher Benjamin, je suis fier
d'avoir été l'un des tout premiers en Belgique -après Paul Neuhuys- à te lire et à t'aimer." Letter to and from Robert Giron.
Mesens tells of his exhibition at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in April and May 1959. Letters from Claire Mabille, André Bosmans,
Richard Feigen, Gérard Van Bruaene, Stefanie Maison, Bernard Dorival, Theo Melville (City of Manchester Art Galleries), Gallery
Raymond Cordier. Letters to Robert and Nina Lebel, and Max and Dorothée Ernst.
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| 7 |
15 |
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Correspondence 1960
17 items
|
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Includes: Three letters from Aubin Pasque, two postcards from Marcel Jean. Two letters from André de Ridder who writes "Si
cela t'intéresse, nous venons de proposer au ministre Oscar Jespers pour le grand prix de carrière pour la sculpture." And,
"J'espère que ton exposition à Milan sera pour toi un grand succès!" Two letters from Marc Eemans who is thinking about a
project for a Biennale d'art fantastique et magique. Letters from Luigi Castellano (Il gruppo '58), L. Archivi, Franco Camerini
and P.G. van Hecke. Letters to Harriet Janis (Sidney Janis Gallery) and Marcel Jean (Mesens complains in a long letter that
he has been misrepresented in many ways in Marcel Jean's book on surrealism).
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| 7 |
16 |
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Correspondence 1960
20 items
|
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Includes: Letters to Meret La Roche-Oppenheim (financial matters), H. Torczyner, Mr. Losfeld, Oscar Schellekens, Mr. Mc Elhone,
André Bosmans, Bill Copley, Emiel Bergen, Jan van Lerberghe, Emile Langui (Belgian contribution to Biennale), Mr. Mamonier.
Letter to Roland Penrose in which Mesens writes, "En ce qui concerne strictement une exposition ou rétrospective Magritte
dans les locaux de l'I. C. A. j'en ai conféré avec le peintre, le samedi 2 juillet dernier à Bruxelles, et celui ci a manifesté
à ce sujet une indifférence quasi-totale." Letters from Noel Arnaud, Luca Luigi Castellano, F. C. Legrand, Paride Accetti.
Letter to and from Gibert Périer (director Sabena Belgian Airlines).
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| 7 |
17 |
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Correspondence 1960
19 items
|
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Includes: Letters from L. Archivi, Louise Berhendo (Free Painters Group), Mary Brooks (F.P.G), Monique Perceval, Marcel Mabille
(about buying Magrittes), Charles Duits, Guido Biasi, Arturo Schwarz, Sheena Smellie, Rose Fried Gallery. Letter to and from
Irène and Jean Scutenaire; Mesens writes, "Je suis absolument sans nouvelles des Magritte depuis neuf ou dix mois, c'est étrange;
presque inhumain." Scutenaire answers, "Je pense que le silence Magrittien est purement de nonchalence...." Letters to Noel
Arnaud (translation and study of Ubu Roi), Lionel Giraud Mangin, Roland Penrose (copy of letter in folder 16) and Anne Dahl (Verlag Gerd Hatje).
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| 7 |
18 |
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Correspondence 1961
26 items
|
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Includes: Letters from José Pierre, Konrad Klapheck, John Banting. Letter from Meret La Roche-Oppenheim in which she writes,
"Je t'écris vite pour te dire que la pelle et la cuillière sont chez ma photographe, Marthe Rocher." Letter from Marcel Jean
mentions that the painting Le Viol by Magritte has been left out of his book by the Italian editor. Three letters from Guido Biasi, two letters from Aubin Pasque,
two letters from André de Ridder (mention exhibition of five Belgian artists that belong to the F. P. G.). Five letters from
Marc Eemans. Letters from Louise Berhendo, Gerald Kinsmann (admires Mesens's collages immensely), L. Rigot (asks, "abondonneriez
vous Londres et ses brouillards?"), Emiel Langui, Graham Ackroyd ("it's no use moaning if the London Art world is a closed
world") and Bernhard Baer (Ganymed Press).
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| 7 |
19 |
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Correspondence 1961
25 items
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Includes: Three letters from Jonathan Matthews (University of Leicester) who is preparing a book on surrealism and asks Mesens
for inside information on the surrealist movement. Eight letters from Arturo Schwarz (Galleria d'arte Schwarz in Milan). Letters
from Françoise Le Grand, William Lieberman (MOMA), Hugo van de Perre, M. J. Legros (writing Jean Arp catalog), Paul Ray (writing
dissertation on surrealist group in England). Transcription in Dutch of an interview that Mesens gave to Flemish television.
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| 7 |
20 |
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Correspondence 1961
26 items
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Includes: Letters from M. Legros, Philip Lasi (Obelisk Gallery), Ida Meyer-Chagall, Geraldine Kaplan (Kaplan Gallery), William
Seitz (MOMA, New York, is organizing a collage exhibition), B. Baer (Ganymed Press), Ph. Toussaint (Galerie St. Laurent, is
organizing mini-collages exposition), Carlo Cardazzo (Galleria d'Arte del Naviglio), Galerie Mona Lisa, Louise Berhendo, Bernard
Karpel (librarian MOMA, New York), David Mann, F. C. Legrand (Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique), Grosvenor Gallery,
Marie-Lucie Cornillot (Musées de Besançon), Robert Giron (P. B. A.). A letter from Simone Collinet (Galerie Furstenberg) in
which she writes: "On ne t'a pas vu beaucoup à Paris depuis tes succès. Dommage j'avais préparé un char et des chevaux-éclair."
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| box |
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| 8 |
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Correspondence 1962-1971 |
| 8 |
1 |
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Correspondence 1962
24 items
|
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Includes: Letter from Gabrielle Buffet-Picabia who asks if Mesens can lend work by Picabia to an exhibition in Marseille.
Letter from Marcel Lecomte who wants Mesens to comment on his "démarche créatrice, goûts, sensibilité." Three letters from
Marc Eemans who wants to become a correspondent for the Arts Review. He mentions that he is part of the Flemish group Kunst en Poëzie. Letters from Eligio Possenti (Director of La Domenica
del Corriere), Albert Niels, Jonathan Matthews (about the publishing of his book), Konrad and Lilo (Düsseldorf), P.G. van
Hecke, William Camfield (writing his Yale dissertation on Picabia), Dr. Aldo Pellegrini (wants information on pop culture
movement in England), Dr. J. Cahen, Paride Accetti, Arturo Schwarz, F. C. Legrand, Galerie Mona Lisa. Letter to the editor
of the Arts Review and a letter to F. W. Cox (he is remodeling Mesens's new house).
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| 8 |
2 |
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Correspondence 1963
29 items
|
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Includes: Four letters from Aubin Pasque, two letters from Marc Eemans. Two letters from Paul Delvaux (mentions his upcoming
visit to London), he writes: "Comme tu le dis, a notre age les vielles amitiés prennent plus de valeur et tu es associé a
tant de choses dans notre vie d'activité." Letters from Her de Vries (Bureau de Recherches Surréalistes), Betty Barman, Galerie
de la Madeleine, R. de Groef, Galerie du Fleuve, André van Wassenhove, Franklin Rosemont, Howard Inchbold, Poupard-Lieussou,
P. Strangier and Carlo Cardazzo.
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| 8 |
3 |
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Correspondence 1963
15 items
|
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Includes: Two letters from Maurice Naessens who writes: "la ville d'Anvers organise une grande exposition de peintures abstraites."
Letters from H. G. Verschraegen (writing a dissertation on Leon Spillaert), Léonce Rigot, R. de Groef, Jean Coquelet (organizing
a retrospective of Centaure), Simone Collinet (wants to buy some paintings by Magritte), France Passoni (Galleria Levi). Letter
to Viviane Stoloff (Galerie du Fleuve) in which Mesens writes about Enrico Baj. Three letters from unidentified authors.
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| 8 |
4 |
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Correspondence 1964
17 items
|
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Includes: Letter from Jacques Brunius and Pierre Braunberger (Les Films de la Pleiade) who ask Mesens to collaborate on the
film Le Surrealisme (a list with collaborating persons is included). Two letters from Paul Delvaux. Three letters from Paul-Gustave van Hecke
mentioning an exhibition in Arnhem. Letters from Pierre Alechinsky, Aubin Pasque, Irene Hamoir and Louis Scutenaire, Marcel
Lecomte and Wieland Schmied. Three letters from Marc Eemans who writes: "ta récente propagande verbale en faveur de ta redécouverte
du peintre Marc Eemans porte déja ses fruits."
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| 8 |
5 |
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Correspondence 1964
22 items
|
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Includes: Letters from Dr. Grosfils (wants to sell his Delvaux), M. Naessens (about the criticism of the exhibition La Peinture Abstraite en Flandre), R. Thissen (wants to form a Libre Académie Belge de Londres), F. Wittmann (Le Livre de Poche), Catherine de Korosmezy,
D'Ars Agency, J. Mekkink, New Vision Centre Gallery, André van Wassenhove, Roswitha Viollet, Roger Matthijs, Maurice Henry
and Palais des Beaux-Arts de Charleroi. Two letters from J. H. Matthews in which he talks about his publications on surrealism
and writes: "We have visited the Institute of Arts (very dull) and the much more interesting Walker Art Center which held
such a fine Magritte show a few years ago."
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| 8 |
6 |
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Correspondence 1964
25 items
|
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Includes: Letters from J. Van Lerberghe, J. Bédouin, Johan Mekkink (director Gemeentemuseum Arnhem), Denis Bowen (New Vision
Centre Gallery), Robert Giron. Excerpt from an interview with Marcel Lecomte who states:" il n'y a jamais été question d'un
groupe (Belge) actif...." Letters to Jan van Lerberghe, Paul Delvaux, Wieland Schmied, Will Hoogstraten, Kenneth Coutts-Smith,
Mr. Naessens, Léo Le Jeune, Pierre Braunberger (Mesens will collaborate with the makers of the movie Le Surrealisme), Walter Jungkind, Miss Drew, Karel Geirlandt, John Ratcliff, G. J. Nellens (Mesens cannot come to the opening of his show).
In many letters to different people Mesens says that he feels ill. Letter to A. J. de Lorm (Director Gemeentemuseum Arnhem)
in which Mesens writes: "Mais avec Giron, Langui, Van Lerberghe et moi a vos cotés, vous ne devez pas doutez un instant que
vous aurez les meilleurs Magritte, Delvaux, Mesens et autres tableaux utilers mis a votre disposition pour faire de votre
exposition d'été un grand succès."
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| 8 |
7 |
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Correspondence 1965
31 items
|
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Includes: Two letters from Arturo Schwarz, four letters from Aubin Pasque. Letter from Marc Eemans who writes:" Kunst en Poezie
se trouve également avec une caisse absolument vide pour commencer sa saison et j'ai bien chercher des mecènes, ils demeurent
introuvables." Letter from F. Van Haelewijck, attaché of the Belgian embassy, to Mesens who is President of the Belgian cultural
centre in the United Kingdom. Her letter discusses projects. Twenty-one items relate to Mesens's exhibition at the Galleria
del Naviglio in Milan: several letters from and to Maurits Naessens and letters from several lenders to the exhibition including
Ph. Robert-Jones (Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique), Albert Perraudin, Paul Delvaux, Albert Niels, Jacques Nellens,
K. J. Geirlandt and Joseph Urvater.
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| 8 |
8 |
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Correspondence 1965
32 items
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Includes: Letter from the director of Le Arti: he has heard about Sybil Mesens'ss illness. Letters from Léonce Rigot, André Van Wassenhove, Jean d'Haese, Paul Feigel,
Embassy of Israel, Jonathan Matthews, Phil Mertens. Two letters from Arnost Budik who wants to write a book on the surrealist
movement in Czechoslovakia and gives information on surrealism in Eastern Europe. Paul Eeckhout (Stad Gent, Museum voor Schone
Kunsten) urges Mesens to give information to Budik. Letter from Fernand Graindorge about lending 150 paintings to an exhibition
in Denmark. Extensive letter from José Pierre who states that he did not want to hurt Mesens and writes: "Je ne partage pas
toujours ton opinion, tu le verras, sur les oeuvres et sur les hommes...." Paul Derideaux (Nederlands Forum Teater) asks for
money and Joachim Jean Aberbach wants to buy a Magritte. Eleven items relate to Mesens's exhibition in Milan (March to May
1965).
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| 8 |
9 |
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Correspondence 1965
20 items
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Includes: Letters from Kroniek van Kunst en Kultuur, Arch\Do, Bureau de Recherches Surrealistes, F. W. van der Wal (asks questions about surrealism), Louis de Zutter, L.G.W.H. Josten,
Sheila Beskine (wants to meet Mesens), A. de Fortune (wants to sell his collection of contemporary art), Ivanhoe Trivulzio
(Galleria d'Arte Moderne), M. Stal (Galerie Carrefour), G. Borgers (Nederlands Letterkundig Museum en Documentatie Centrum).
Letter to Maurits Naessens in which Mesens states that he is prepared to sell him one of the most important Magrittes, L'Assasin menacé, and names a price. Letter from Krome Barratt who writes: "I believe, as you do, that FPS [Free Painters and Sculptors group]
can be developed to a position of real influence and benefit to progressive art."
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| 8 |
10 |
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Correspondence 1965
19 items
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Includes: Letters from G. J. Nellens (about Leonor Fini exhibition), Daniella Palazzoli (doing a study of Schwitters), Arnaldo
Pomodoro, Simone Collinet (she is leaving the Furstenberg gallery), Albert Parraudin (suffered a stroke), Carlo Cardazzo (about
the next Biennale). Letter from and to Enrico Crispolti. Crispolti wants to borrow some Magrittes, but Mesens replies that
that is impossible. Letter from and to Paul Delvaux: Mesens is angry because somebody said that Magritte's Le Mal du Pays was sold to the museum in Brussels. Letters to Pierre Janlet, Richard Gainsborough (Mesens talks about Geert Van Bruaene)
and Albergo Manzoni.
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| 8 |
11 |
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Correspondence 1966
26 items
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Includes: Letter from Gustave Nellens who writes: "Je suis tout à fait d'accord sur ce qu'il (Robert Poulet) dit de Breton.
Une fausse gloire dont plus personne, d'ici plus de temps, ne parlera." (Article by Robert Poulet, "Pangloss," is included).
Excerpt from the Times Literary Supplement (2 March 1967) includes article by Simon Watson Taylor: "Breton in Wonderland." Two letters from Aubin Pasque. Four letters
from Marc Eemans; both Eemans' wife and Mesens's wife died in the same year. Letters from Paul-Gustave van Hecke, Jonathan
Matthews, P. Baugniet, Albert Perraudin, Arnaldo Pomodoro. Letter to and from R. Leonard. Letter to and from Philip Leider
(editor Artforum) re Artforum September 1966 dedicated to surrealism. Letters to Garibaldo Marussi, Marc Eemans. Three letters from Harald Szeemann (director
Kunsthalle Bern) about Mesens lending paintings to exhibition of fantastic art. Minutes of meeting (24 August 1966) of Free
Painters and Sculptors group. Procès Verbal (8 December 1966) from Centre Culturel Belge du Royaume-Uni.
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12 |
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Correspondence 1966
28 items
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Includes: Letter to and from Albert Perraudin. Perraudin asks Mesens for a comité de selection. Letter from Arturo Schwartz,
Pierre Janlet (has met William Rubin, MOMA, New York and Rubin wants to know more about reproduction permission), Barbara
Adler (Harry Abrams), Renato Cardazzo (Galleria d'Arte del Naviglio), Peter Townsend ( Studio International), Ada Zunino (Galleria d'Arte del Naviglio), John Ratcliff, Garibaldi Marussi. R. Hammacher (Museum Boymans-Van Beuningen)
writes: "Depuis longtemps on demande ici une exposition de René Magritte. Il faut que vous m'aidrez cher E.L.T." Letters to
Prof. Renato Cardezzo, Robert Lebel. Two letters to and two letters from Karl Gutbrod (Verlag M. Dumont Schauberg) about the
Kurt Schwitters monograph.
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| 8 |
13 |
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Correspondence 1966
45 items
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Includes: Letters from John Elderfield (doing his thesis on Kurt Schwitters at University of Leeds), Robert Lebel (needs photographs
for his book on surrealism), Rosemary Hood (Frank Cass and company want to reprint the London Bulletin), Henri Edion (wants Mesens to look at his work), Barbara Adler (permission for reproduction of Magritte work), Hilde Schilck
(Verlag M.Dumont Schauberg), J. C. Warner (wants information on surrealism), Gustave Nellens (asks if Mesens wants to be part
of comité des expositions de Knokke), John Devolny (the city of Milly-la-forêt celebrates the friendship between Cocteau and
Satie), R. Leonard, J. Remiche (Musée de Stavelot organizing Les Arts Plastiques et la Musique), Gabriel White (the Arts council of Great Britain is doing an important exhibition of Magritte), Alexis Berger (Gelerie
de la Madeleine), R. W. D. Oxenaar (director Kröller-Müller). Letter to and from Daniela Palazzoli (Arc/Do). Three letters
from and two to Jean Ségalat (he wants photos of Mesens for Dictionnaire des oeuvres contemporaines). Letters to Elizabeth Houtzager (director Centraal Museum Utrecht), Walther Vanbeselaere (curator Koninklijk Museum voor
Schone Kunsten Antwerpen), Barbara Adler and Anthony Janson, Annette Allwardt, Ronald Hunt, Harold Szeemann (Mesens lends
works to the Kunsthalle in Bern). Three letters from and one to Philip Leider ( Artforum) regarding Mesens being unable to write an article on the Belgian surrealist movement.
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14 |
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Correspondence 1967
25 items
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Includes: Letters from Meret Oppenheim, Guido Biasi, Herta Wescher, Jane Graverol (an illustration of her La Goutte d'eau is included), S. Houbart (bibliothécaire Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts), R. Matthijs (Association pour le musée d'art contemporain
à Gand), Stephen Schwartz (talks about the American surrealist group Lethal Relief), Gustave Nellens, Giulio Bolaffi Editore
(wants information for Catalogo Bolaffi d'Arte Moderne), Will Hoogstrate (Galerie d'Eendt, Amsterdam) is making a book on black-white graphic erotic art), Patricia Behr (Central
Office of Information), J. Stevo, John Calder (asks "Would you be interested in writing a short book on Breton for us?") Letters
to Henri Ginet (Cinema Le Ranelagh), Editions Rencontre (about a mistake in José Pierre's Le Surrealisme), E. Scheyer, J.C Warner. Letter from and to Pierre Colomb (Secrétaire général de l'Académie de Neuilly). Letter from and
to Fritz Schweighofer. His organization wants a sample of Mesens's handwriting.
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| 8 |
15 |
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Correspondence 1967
30 items
|
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Includes: Two letters from Sylvain Perlstein. Letters from François Vandou (Editions Rencontre), Carlo Grossetti, Jan van
Lerberghe ("L'exposition des Six Peintres Surréalistes a eu un succès considérable."), V. T. Eggison, Renato Cardazzo, Edda
Fonda (Fratelli Fabbri Editori), Phil Mertens, Steve Feinberg, Gustave Nellens (talks about van Hecke, who is ill), Jan Merckx
(mentions van Hecke's death), Patrick Waldberg ("... je vais faire une communication à l'Institut sur le Surrealisme."), Jean
Coquelet (Musée d'Ixelles organizing Paul Delvaux exhibition), Paolo Cardazzo, H. H. Arenson (affiliated with Guggenheim Foundation
and needs Magritte reproduction for his book on modern art), Marcel Mabille. Two extensive letters from John Lyle who talks
about various subjects, including the Exeter Festival of Modern Arts. Two letters to Emile Langui. One letter to and from
Robert Leonard.
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| 8 |
16 |
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Correspondence 1967
32 items
|
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Includes: Four letters from Robert Leonard. Letters from J. Remiche, Emile Langui, J. Derweduwer (Galerie Montjoie), J. M.
Curley (The Art Trade Press Limited), H. H. Arenson, Kenda Bar-Gera (Galerie Gmurzynska), Kirsten Strømstad (Louisiana Museum
Denmark), Annely Juda (Hamilton Galleries). Letters to Paolo Cardazzo, Theodore Koenig, Mrs. Croquison-Hendermarcq, Jan van
Lerberghe (Mesens talks about bad transportation of art). Three letters from and one to Robert Giron. Three letters from and
one to Gustave Nellens about the summer exhibition at Knokke 1968. Mesens is part of the organizing committee but does not
want to contribute; Nellens is very upset by Mesens's decision.
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| 8 |
17 |
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Correspondence 1968
33 items
|
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|
Includes: Seven letters from the antiquarian John Lyle who talks about the University of Exeter, different printing projects
(the revue Transformation) and exhibitions. He writes in anger:"I think your letter is bloody-minded and unfair..... You owe me nothing." Letter from
Marc Eemans who talks about his career and states: "...toi tu peux te permettre de dire merde à tout le monde." Letters from
Kris van de Giessen, Gilbert Gaas, S. Gary Hoffmann, Janus, José Vovelle, Sarah Laubacher (Addison-Wesley Publishing company),
P. G. Veldekens. Three letters from Francis Dobo (Arno Press wants to reprint the London Bulletin), two letters from Fernande Mollaert, three letters from André de Roche. Two receipts and one contract.
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| 8 |
18 |
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Correspondence 1968
32 items
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Includes: Letters from Marcel Mabille, John Lyle, Bernard Giron, Théodore Koenig ( Phantomas), Stephen Schwartz (wants to publish a surrealist revue in San Francisco), Herta Wescher, J. H. Matthews, and Gilbert Goos
(17-year old who wants to have a collage by Mesens). Two letters from and one to Hilde Schlick about the book on collage by
Herta Wescher. Also present are sixteen letters from Walther Vanbeselaere dated August 1967 related to Mesens exhibiting at
the Museum of Antwerp (Belgian Art 1947-1967). The museum buys four works by Mesens during the exhibition.
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| 8 |
19 |
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Correspondence 1968 19 items |
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Includes: Three letters from the Arts Council of Great Britain, in one of which Gabriel White writes: "I cannot tell you how
much we appreciate your cooperation for I understand that you are prepared to entrust us with no less than twelve paintings."
Letters from Gérard de Brigode (Cercle Royal Artistique de Charleroi), Paolo Cardazzo (Galleria d'Arte del Cavallino), Gabriella
Cardazzo (wants a Mesens collage), Piero Fedeli (Studio Bellini), Francine Degée (Galerie Arcanes), J. Derweduwen (Galerie
Montjoie), Knud W. Jensen (Louisiana Museum in Denmark), R. W. D Oxenaar (director Kröller-Müller wants to organize a big
Mesens exhibition). In a letter to Fernande Mollaert, Mesens writes: "Je suis très touché, même ému de tout ce que vous m'écrivez
à propos de mon oeuvre..."
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| 8 |
20 |
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Correspondence 1969
33 items
|
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Includes: Letters from Aubin Pasque, Jill Rodnell (Walton Gallery), Yannick Bruynoghe, Marcel Arnould, Joan Baker, Guido Biasi
(he wants to work in London), Jacqueline ? [unidentified woman who has known Mesens for 46 years], Henri Chopin, Fernande
Mollaert (has bought two Mesens collages), Jan Hoet (writing his thesis on Victor Servranckx), Société des Expositions du
Palais des Beaux-Arts, Rembrandt Verlag (need photographs for Wieland Schmied's book), Bernard Karpel (Arno Press) asking
if Mesens can write preface for the reprint of the London Bulletin, Paolo Cardazzo, Jonathan Matthews (preparing a special Symposium issue on surrealism), Jean and Irène Scutenaire, Marc Eemans (happy he is finally getting a large exhibition), the B.B.C.
(Mesens helping with documentary on Magritte). Letter from Harold Diamond who writes: "I know the impulse to life is too strong
in you for you to permit yourself to be destroyed by drink, even after such a sadness." Letter from John Lyle who states:
"..reams of rubbish are being written and spoken of him [Magritte]. We must have something authoritative to counteract all
the garbage." Letters to André Stess, Muriel ? [unidentified], Elizabeth Davison (the Arts Council of Great Britain).
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| 8 |
21 |
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Correspondence 1969
31 items
|
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Includes: Four letters from Francine ? [unidentified] (Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique) who writes: "Je vous ai vu
hier à la télé dans le film sur Magritte. Bravo pour le ton naturel et direct." Two letters to and one from André de Roche,
about the hommage to P.G. van Hecke. Letters from Albert Perraudin (he wants to make peace with Mesens), Marcel Jean, J. Van
Lennep, Arturo Schwarz, Claude Cortot (writes about crisis in surrealist movement), André Blavier, D'Ars, Walter van Uytfangh, Victor Corti (translating collected works of Antonin Artaud), Patrick Waldberg, S. Hombart, Hans Platte
(Kunstverein Hamburg), R. Wehrli (Kunsthaus Zurich), Laurent Roosens (Museum Sterckshof). Four letters from the Arts Council
of Great Britain about the Magritte show they organized. Two letters from J. Derweduwen (Galerie Montjoie). Four letters from
John Lyle, in one of which he writes about the painful breakup with his wife.
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| 8 |
22 |
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Correspondence 1970 30 items |
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Includes: Letters from Jean Scutenaire (talks about Breton and Péret), Arturo Schwarz, Carlo Grossetti, Victor Beyer (Musée
de Strasbourg organizes L'Art en Europe autour de 1925), J. L. Faure (Musée de la ville de Strasbourg), Jacques van Lennep, Francine. Four letters from Marc Eemans who writes:
"tu es peut-etre l'ami le plus blessant, le plus férocement et le plus injustement médisant que je connaisse." Three letters
from and two to Paolo Cardazzo. Two letters from Robert-Jones about the Musées Royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique organizing
Tendances Surrealistes en Belgique/Surrealistische Strekkingen in België. Letter to Ottovia Cordoba in which Mesens writes: "But if you remained my faithful governess-secretary until my death I
would make very serious provisions, in your benefit, in my will."
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| 8 |
23 |
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Correspondence 1970
21 items
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Includes: Letters from Enrico Baj and Olga Picabia, Luigi Carluccio, George Rettie (Mesens's doctor), Vera Sigall (picture
researcher of Encyclopedia of the Supernatural), Kathleen McColgar, Marcel Fleiss (bought two Mesens collages), Ottavia Cordoba (she does not want to come to London), Hans
Hess (wants information on Feininger), Ruth Henry, John Lyle (asks if Mesens will sign a declaration on human misery). Two
letters from and one to Renato Cardazzo (director of Navigliovenezia). Letter and loan request from Norman Reid (director
Tate Gallery): they want an early Fernand Leger for the exhibition Léger and Purist Paris.
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24 |
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Correspondence 1970
22 items
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Includes: Maurice Henry (he needs Mesens's cooperation for a preface), Jacqueline Hondermarcq, Marcel Fleiss, Philippe Robert-Jones
to Isy Brachot fils (about buying two collages by Mesens), Paolo Marzotto, Margo Bruynoghe (Galerie Maya), Pasquole ? [unidentified],
Jean Louis Merckx. Three letters from John Lyle, talk about Transformaction and mentions Bulletin de Liaison Surréaliste that printed a part of the declaration "Surrealism Now." Two letters from Ursel Prehn (Verlag Gerd Hatje) about monograph
on Max Ernst they are doing. One letter from Phillipe Robert-Jones who proposes a exhibition and book on Mesens. Two letters
from Francine.
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| 8 |
25 |
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Correspondence 1971
19 items
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Includes: Letters from Jean Scutenaire, Le Arti, Gabriella Cardazzo, Paolo Cardazzo, J. Chenue packers, Philippe Roberts-Jones issues an ultimatum: he has to know what Mesens
thinks of his proposals, Jacqueline Hondermarcq ( Gradiva), Peter Webb (Hornsey College of Art), Herta Wescher, W. Vanbeselaere (about Europalia 1971, the Dutch-Belgian cultural agreement).
Letter to J. Chenue packers. Letter from Goyens Swinnen to Sarra (member of Mesens's family) she writes:"de laatste weken
hebben we in de familie Mesens nogal tegenslag gehad...We hebben Edouard Mesens op de televisie gezien. Hij zag er goed uit."
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| box |
|
| 9 |
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Correspondence alphabetically arranged, and undated correspondence |
| 9 |
1 |
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Correspondence Enrico Baj 1957-1967
30 items
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Baj talks about his work and his exhibition plans. |
| 9 |
2 |
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Correspondence Enrico Baj 1954-1969
32 items
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Includes 10 postcards. |
| 9 |
3 |
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Correspondence Enrico Baj 1957-1965
23 items
|
| 9 |
4 |
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Correspondence John Banting 1966, 1969, n.d.
16 items
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Some letters are dated. In 1969 Banting writes:"Deep regrets and sympathies for your loss." In his letter of 24 October 1966
he writes about the death of Breton and a dinner party with Marcel Duchamp. Several letters are from Dublin and Banting talks
about the customs of the Irish.
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| 9 |
5 |
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Correspondence Brunius 1945
11 items
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Includes three very extensive (19, 22 and 13 page) letters (two to Mesens and one from Mesens). |
| 9 |
6 |
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Correspondence Sergio Dangelo 1960s
14 items
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Nine postcards, one poster (exhibit at Galleria Sampetronio) and four letters written in the 1960s. In a strange letter from
1967 Dangelo writes: "Tres Cher. Meme mort de Magritte me fait pleurer. n'ecris pas et vas te faire foutre."
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| 9 |
7 |
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Correspondence Sergio Dangelo 1954-1964
20 items
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| 9 |
8 |
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Correspondence Fayyez Fergar 1943-1945
15 items
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Fergar's first letter to Mesens is included as well as twelve poems written during the war, including: "Poème," "Guerre Guerre,"
"Unités de Vision," "Inventaires D'enchines," "Ruées," "Intégration" (2 copies).
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| 9 |
9 |
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Correspondence Fayyez Fergar 1946
16 items
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Includes three copies of "les fièvres tentaculaires" dedicated to Mesens (1946). A letter with biographical note. A text by
Max Wykes Joyce: "Egograph Point One." Three letters from 1946. The poems: "Les secteurs du regard," "Profession de moi" (2
copies), "Phases," "Le cri fend l'equation des seins," "Conte," "Latitudes."
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| 9 |
10 |
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Correspondence Magritte 1920s
17 items
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In one letter (December 1921?) Magritte writes:"je te montrerai ma dernière toile inspirée d'un recital Borch Beethoven Wagner
que j'ai entendu Samedi passé, et que Maes a fait avec moi." Also included is a photograph of Magritte taken in 1925. A few
items deal with the magazine Oesophage.
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| 9 |
11 |
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Correspondence Magritte 1930s
13 items
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In a letter (1930) Magritte writes: "le travail est tellement absorbant que je ne puis penser à rien d'autre, même pendant
le sommeil. Je rêve que je dessine, c'est un enfer!" Six letters date from 1938. In these he writes of a disagreement between
Nougé and Breton. Magritte also writes about the difficult financial agreements he has with Mesens, and the threat of war.
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| 9 |
12 |
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Correspondence Magritte 1940s
9 items
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Seven letters are written in 1946. Two letters are from Mesens to Magritte. On July 1, 1946 Mesens writes: "Il ne faut plus
à présent demander d'exposer; ce sont les galeries de Paris, de New York qui doivent t'y inviter." In one letter Magritte
disagrees with Mesens that he should not exhibit at the Allard Gallery in Paris. On one sheet he compares 1930 with 1946,
and shares philosophical thoughts about the isolation of the object.
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| 9 |
13 |
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Correspondence Magritte 1950s
18 items
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On 13 November 1953 Magritte explains the purpose of his paintings: "Mes tableaux n'ont pas de sens réductible: ils sont un
sens." In a change of address note, he moves to Lambermont 207. Mesens complains to Magritte that Magritte's name is not included
in MOMA's Maîtres de l'Art Moderne.
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| 9 |
14 |
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Correspondence Magritte 1960s
2 items
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Two postcards with paintings ( La Cascade and Le tombeau des lutteurs) by Magritte from Magritte. On Le tombeau des Lutteurs he mentions an important article about him in Harpers Bazaar and an article by Waldberg in xxe siècle.
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| 9 |
15 |
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Correspondence Magritte n.d.
14 items
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In one letter Magritte writes: "la peinture me sert à maintenir le monde en observation jusqu'a l'instant ou cette observation
deviendra inutile."
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| 9 |
16 |
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Correspondence Man Ray 1929-1939 1958-1960
14 items
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Nine letters date from the period 1929-1939. In one letter from 1939 he mentions that he is very ill. There are four letters
from 1958 and one from 1960.
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| 9 |
17 |
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Correspondence S n.d
4 items
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3 letters from Jean Scutenaire, 2 pp. fragment of letter from E. Schwitter, Kurt Schwitter's son, (to Mesens?) written sometime
after 1957.
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| 9 |
18 |
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Correspondence Piet Zwart n.d.
1 item
|
| 9 |
19 |
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Correspondence various n.d.
36 items
|
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Includes: Letters from John Lyle, Ronald Hunt, Christian Bussy (Radiodiffusion-Télévision Belge), André Blavier, Sig. Salz,
Peter van Doesburg, Georgius, Roland Penrose. Letter to Huib Hoste, C. Goemans. Two letters from Simone Thijsbrecht (?). Postcards
from Marcel Mariën, G. Fouquet. Three items relating to Frits van den Berghe. Five items relating to Paul Nash. In one letter
he introduces Sybil Stevenson, Mesens's future wife. Three items relate to Antonio Pedro (Portugese artist). Includes manuscript
"Love Letter" (extract from Just a Story).
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| 9 |
20 |
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Correspondence various n.d.
32 items
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Includes: Letters from Renée Surbone, Maria Moens, Jean-François Liani (sixteen-year old who met Breton and now wants to meet
Mesens), A. Kriekemans, Herman Teirlinck, Frits van de Berghe, Olivier Picard, René Guiette ("Bravo pour l'exposition des
jeunes belges"), Floris Jespers, René Gaffé. Two letters to Robert Lebel. Three letters from Simon Watson Taylor. An invitation
from Maurice Naessens. Short text on Frits van den Berghe. A manuscript by Jacques Hérold. A manuscript for Oesophage by Gaston Bursseus that consists of interviews with people in Antwerp about the decision to close down the brothels.
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| 9 |
21 |
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Correspondence various n.d.
25 items
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Letters from Karin Leyden, Georges Vriamont, Michael Martindale, Nancy Chilton, Sidney Janis, Robert Le Masle, David Thompson,
Peter Watson, Jacques Lacombles.
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| 9 |
22 |
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Correspondence various n.d.
26 items
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Letters from Georges Vriamont, Renato Cardazzo, Catherine Seghers, Pierre Crowel, Robert Giron, George Morris. |
| box |
|
| 10 |
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Correspondence various n.d. |
| 10 |
1 |
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Correspondence various
24 items
|
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Includes 1 draft letter from Mesens, invoice from Galerie Georges Giroux, and letters from Lawrence Alloway, Harold Diamond,
Oliver Picard, Catherine Seghers.
|
| 10 |
2 |
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Correspondence various
34 items
|
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Letters from Simon, R. Penrose, Pierre Jaulet, and draft letters from Mesens, among others. |
| 10 |
3 |
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Correspondence various
17 items
|
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Mesens's notes and cards to unidentified people, letters from others, unidentified. |
