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Royall Tyler to Robert Woods Bliss, March 6, 1936

Finance Ministry

Budapest

6.III.36

Dear Robert.

I’ve only received this morning your letter of the 3d. Air mail is often slower than the ordinary in these parts.

I quite understand how things are with regard to a visit to Prague. I’m afraid I haven’t much chance of getting to Paris before May (I have a meeting at Geneva beginning 29 April, and lasting 4–5 days, probably).

I’m so much relieved to know Mildred is better.Mildred Bliss had become been very ill with pneumonia in Prague sometime in mid-February 1936. See Edith Wharton to Beatrix Jones Farrand, April 4, 1936, Edith Wharton Collection, Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Please send me further reassuring news when you can.

The Cameo,BZ.1936.31. which I’m glad you have bought, is I think about the XIe cent., and it’s a very good one. I’m not surprised Juritzki [sic] wouldn’t reduce his price.

Many thanks for asking for a photo. of the iron bird.This iron bird has not been identified. It was in the collection on Prince Alfred Antonin Juritzky (1887–1961), an artist and art collector, and was eventually acquired by Hayford Peirce. See letter of May 26, 1936. I shall be glad to have it.

The rhipidion (flabellum)BZ.1936.23. is certainly early VIe cent. The hallmarks make that certain, and the style is perfectly consistent.

I’m glad you like the Zurbaran.Probably Juan de Zurbarán (1620–1649), a Spanish still-life painter and the son of the painter Francisco de Zurbarán (1598–1664). See letter of February 29, 1936. I hope you’ll get it. My recollections of the still life in KieffStill Life with Chocolate Service, Museum of Western and Oriental Art, Kiev. During a cleaning of this painting in 1938, Juan de Zurbarán’s signature and the date 1640 were revealed. make me very excited about it.

Fettich and HorvathTibor Horváth (1910–1972), a Hungarian Migration-period specialist, archaeologist, and art historian. are both away digging; as soon as F. is back I’ll get him to start work on Mauthner [sic]László (Ladislaus) Mautner (active 1926–1939), a Hungarian art dealer in Budapest who today is infamous as a dealer of faked art works. for the birdsBZ.1936.27–28. and the braceletBZ.1936.30. and strap-end.BZ.1936.29.

I enjoyed your visit here and our days in Vienna immensely.

Elisina sends you and Mildred fondest love, as I do mine.

Don’t forget to keep me informed.

Yrs

R. T.

 
Associated People: Antonin Juritzky; Nándor Fettich
Associated Places: Budapest (Hungary)