The Letters of Gertrude Stein and Carl Van Vechten, 1913-1946
Page 27
[postmark: 16 April 1933]2
Easter Sunday [150 West Fifty-fifth Street New York]
Dear Gertrude:
Thank you for the copies of the Francis Rose pictures.3 I like ’em … The whole town, nay, the world, is excited by your Atlantic Monthly debut4—we are waiting in line for April 20 when the first number appears. . Have you seen Vol I of Mabel [Dodge]’s memoirs?5 . . and did you know that Fania left her appendix in a hospital? Our Edith6 prefers the Carlo plates to all others. If we triedx we could not keep ’em off the tables.
743 rosy flamingos to you both!
C.
xwe don’t try!
1. Holt and Bentley were both singer-pianists. Taylor was an artist who had designed Van Vechten’s bookplate and the dust jacket for Van Vechten’s Sacred and Profane Memories.
2. There is no correspondence between Van Vechten and Stein from the time of his postcard of [9 January 1933] and this postcard. There is no explanation for this interruption.
3. Stein may be referring to photographs of two paintings by Sir Francis Rose. One was a photograph of a portrait of Toklas in the garden at Bilignin. On the verso Stein wrote: “Alice by Francis Rose and are you going to like my autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, I think so because it is good, Love Gtde.” On the verso of the second photograph, a portrait of Stein by Rose, Stein wrote: “Me by Francis Rose and you won’t Carl be like Max Jacob who says he is going to love it all xcept about himself but I know you won’t be like that. Love Gtde.” Both photographs are in YCAL, the portrait of Toklas is also in YCAL. See Van Vechten to Stein, 1 May 1933, note 3.
4. The Atlantic Monthly printed four excerpts from Stein’s The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas: “Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas—I” (May 1933), 151(5): [513]-27; “When We Were Very Young” (June 1933), 151(6): 677–88; “The War and Gertrude Stein” (July 1933), 152(1): 56–69; and “Ernest Hemingway and the Post-War Decade” (August 1933), 152(2): 197–208. The titles for these excerpts were supplied by the editors of The Atlantic Monthly, not by Stein.
5. Mabel Dodge Luhan’s Background (New York: Harcourt, Brace and Co., 1933).
6. The Van Vechten’s cook.
To Gertrude Stein
[Telegram]
20 April 1933 New York
AUTOBIOGRAPHY DIVINE MUCH LOVE1
CARLO
1. Van Vechten had just read the first installment of The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas in The Atlantic Monthly (May 1933), 151(5): [513]-27.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 27 April 1933] [27 rue de Fleurus Paris]
My dear Carl
We are not in Bilignin yet we are leaving to-morrow but we just had this letter paper made and am baptising it on you.1 I was so touched by your telegram I can’t tell you and to-day comes your postal card,2 I am most pleased with everything, I love being rich, not as yet so awful rich but with prospects, it makes me all cheery inside I don’t know why it should but it does, you always are so sweet Carlo and I love you very very much and love to Fania
Gertrude.
1. Stein had had stationery printed at the shop of J. Beauvais on the rue du Bac in Paris. The imprint was:
Bilignin par Belley
Ain
2. Van Vechten to Stein [16 April 1933].
To Gertrude Stein
1 May 1933 150 West Fifty-fifth Street
[New York]
Dear Gertrude,
Wherever one goes—and I have just gone to Baltimore—one hears about your paper in the Atlantic. Everybody loves it. Even Harry Hansen who made some asinine remarks about it really loves it. Anyway, it seems the whole town rose to write and correct him.1 We are all dying for the 20 of May when the June number comes out and when I think I have to wait till July 20 to get at the whole I some times think I can’t bear it and other times I am happy because I have so much pleasure ahead of me!2 You are a woojums and Alice is a woojums and I foresee now that you must, soon or late, come to America, and then I will photograph you. . I do nothing but make photographs now and they are good. . I like your Francis Rose portraits.3 . Edith brings in food on the Carlo plates more often than not, but it does not need that to remind us of you. . Fania had her appendix out and is much better than she has been in years. I didn’t have mine out, but I am better too! In this crazy world it is nice to remember that there are two people we love called Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas.
a great many shell boxes and four orchids to you!
Carlo4
1. Harry Hansen was a syndicated newspaper columnist. I have been unable to locate the remarks made by Hansen about The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas.
2. See Van Vechten to Stein [16 April 1933], note 3.
3. Stein had sent Van Vechten a photograph of a portrait done of her by Sir Francis Rose, 1930–33, oil on canvas, 31½ × 25¼ inches (sight), which is now in the collection of the heirs of Gertrude Stein. She also sent him a photograph of Rose’s Portrait of Alice B. Toklas, 1932, oil on canvas, 29⅞ × 19 inches, now in YCAL. See Van Vechten to Stein [16 April 1933], note 3.
4. The recto of this letter contains the following in Stein’s hand:
Made by with full
[laid?]
acceptance by author
The verso of the letter contains the following in Toklas’ hand:
following [to? f.? for?] author or [in?] [b.?] take out
That Neither composer or author are
privileged to use their part
of the opera with anyone
elses work: that is the
author may not give use the
libretto to with any other composer
the music—the composer
may not use the music of
the opera with any other
libretto
6 eliminate elimination “said contract to
be duly accepted and signed
by both parties”
“royalties”—
These notes are a draft of part of the contract between Stein and Virgil Thomson for their opera, Four Saints in Three Acts.
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Photograph by Carl Van Vechten] Jacket Design for the Tattooed Countess by Ralph Barton. Collection of Carl Van Vechten
22 May [1933] [150 West Fifty-fifth Street New York]
Dear Gertrude—
And now Bennet Cerf tells me that Three Lives is to go into the Modern Library and has asked me to write a preface.1 I am thrilled!! It is your year. You’d better come over & be photographed. I know very little about the opera, but here arrangements are being made for its production. I photographed Matisse on Saturday.2—The second number of the Autobiography is grand—I loved the story of M[ildred]. Aldrich & the canaries! I can’t wait till I see the whole thing!3
Much love to you both,
C.
1. Bennett Cerf (1898–1971), the publisher and one of the founders of Random House, had written Stein asking for permission to republish her Three Lives. The plates for the book were in New York with the publishers Albert and Charles Boni, who had brought out an edition of the book in 1927. See Cerf to Stein, 16 May 1933, YCAL.
2. Van Vechten had photographed Henri Matisse (1869–1954), the French painter, on 20 May 1933.
3. See Van Vechten to Stein [16 April 1933], note 3.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 27? May 1933] Bilignin Par Belley
Ain
My dear Carl,
I am so pleased so very very pleased that you are doing the introduction for Three Lives for the Modem Library, do you remember how touched I was when you first became famous and they asked you for a list of the ten important books of the world and you put in Three Lives and it was the first time I had ever appeared in a real list and I was pleased, my dear we are very fond of each other and I am very pleased.1 Are you coming over or do I have to come over there, well anyway lots and lots of love
Gertrude.
1. See Van Vechten to Stein, May 1923
.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Photograph of Gertrude Stein in the garden at Bilignin]
[postmark: 11 June 1933] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dear Carl,
I am delighted and do tell [Stephen] Haweis he mustn’t worry he will have his tea.1 I am glad Fania is so much better, have you heard about the opera, they seem to be sincerely thinking of doing it in Hartford, tell me what you think of the idea and what do you do in Baltimore.2 You know they are only doing a little over half in the Atlantic as soon as I get an advance copy of the whole I will send it to you. I am very happy
Gtrde.
1. Haweis, the painter, was the ex-husband of Mina Loy. In this correspondence there is no earlier reference to Haweis to account for mention of him. Either a letter was lost or else Van Vechten and Stein had both seen someone who talked about Haweis.
2. Van Vechten had been visiting friends in Baltimore. See Van Vechten to Stein, 1 May 1933.
To Gertrude Stein
10 July [1933] 150 West Fifty-fifth Street
New York City
Dear Gertrude,
Here is the preface. I hope you will like it.1 I wish I might have talked it over with you. However, if you dislike it very much there might still be time to change something. I have written about you so often and never succeed in writing quite what I want to, but I will some day. And when you come over this winter I will photograph you!
Love to you and the lady of the autobiography!
Carlo
1. Van Vechten’s preface to the Modern Library edition of Stein’s Three Lives.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Photograph of Picabia drawing of Gertrude Stein]
[? July 1933] [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dear Carl,
It is all signed and settled about the Modern Library and Three Lives and I am awfully pleased and have just written to [Bennett] Cerf to tell him how pleased I am that you are introducing it.1 Picabia has been staying with us and we talked of you and perhaps you will like this, he also did an amusing one of Alice, if anybody comes along who can photo it, I will send it.2
Lots of love
Gtrde.
It has rained.
1. Cerf had cabled Stein on 5 June 1933 (copy of cable, Columbia-Random House) requesting a reply to his letter of 16 May (YCAL) about republishing Three Lives. Stein’s signed contracts must have crossed with Cerf’s cable, and on 13 July (YCAL) Cerf wrote to Stein that the plates for Three Lives had been received and that he had sent an advance of $400 to her agent, William A. Bradley.
2. Francis Picabia (1879–1953), the French painter. The drawings of Stein and Toklas are now in a private collection in New York. Picabia had visited Stein in Bilignin on 5 June 1933.
To Carl Van Vechten
[Postcard: Photograph of Gertrude Stein and Picabia holding portrait of Gertrude Stein by Picabia]
[? July 1933]1 [Bilignin par Belley Ain]
My dear Carl,
This is a portrait Picabia just made of me out of his head, I hope you like it,2 but not as much as I like the introduction, I am awfully happy about it all, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me, everything you said pleased me and I felt it was just right that is the way I feel you feel about it and that is the way I liked and like it,
Thanks a thousand times
Gtrde.
1. Both this letter and the previous one were mailed in envelopes that have not survived. It is possible that they were mailed on the same day.
2. Picabia had painted the portrait of Gertrude Stein that he is holding in these photographs in Golfe-Juan, France. He had brought it to Stein on his way back to Paris in June 1933. This portrait of Stein, oil on linen, 45⅝ × 34¾ inches, is now in YCAL.
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Photograph of an oriental soldier]
22 July [1933] [San Francisco]
Dear Gertrude:—
In El Monte I discovered a lion tamer from Aix-les-Bains—which reminded me of the only time I’ve been there & the wonderful day we had.1—Now in San Francisco for the first time & flying back to N.Y. tomorrow.
Love to you both
Carlo.
1. Van Vechten and Marinoff had visited Stein in Bilignin for two days in August 1930. One of the excursions they made was to the nearby city of Aix-les-Bains, France.
To Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas
[Postcard: Palermo—Carro Siciliano]
[postmark: 29 July 1933] [Turkey]
My dears,
I’ll be in Paris Aug 5th for a week. Am cruising in Greece. I suppose you are in Beligin [i.e., Bilignin] as always. But PU feel a little nearer to you in Paris. I’ll be at the Hotel Bristol comme toujours. I would love a word from you
Love
Fania
To Fania Marinoff
[postmark: 29 July 1933] Bilignin par Belley
Ain
My dear Fania
Welcome to Europe, I am so sorry that we are still 500 kilometers apart but anyway we use the same postage stamp and that is always a comfort, and I am so happy about Carl’s introduction to Three Lives and everything, it would be nice to see you even nicer than just being in the same country, perhaps you will manage and that will be nice, anyway enjoy yourself and lots of love
Gtrde.
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Victorian Cushion—Van Vechten apartment. Photograph by Carl Van Vechten]
10 August [1933] [150 West Fifty-fifth Street New York]
Dear Gertrude,
Did I ever send you this (almost) portrait of Basket? It is cut out of kid, stuffed & implanted on a blue velvet cushion in the Victorian Room.—I’m so glad you liked the preface. I like all the Picabia portraits. Please remember me to him. F[ania]. M[arinoff]. is in France or England on her way home after Greece but you will be in the country & so can’t see her. . I have just returned from flying to San Francisco. Saw Mabel [Dodge] at Taos. . Three Lives will be out in a minute. Also the Autobiography!
Love to you both.
Carlo.
To Gertrude Stein
[Postcard: Daring Jump by a Forest Ranger, Near Bright Angel Cove, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona]
22 August [1933] [150 West Fifty-fifth Street New York]
Dear Gertrude—
Soon after my return from the West—Américains d’Amérique arrived. It is a grand idea—this abridgement—why couldn’t it appear in English like this? I shall read it later together with [Bernard] Faÿ’s introduction.1 At present I am locked in my darkroom trying to get the pictures finished I did in the west. The proofs of Three Lives arrived & that will be out soon.
Love
Carlo.
1. An abridged version of The Making of Americans had been prepared by Stein and Faÿ. It was published as Américains d’Amérique, translated by the Baroness J. Seillière and Bernard Faÿ (Paris: Libraire Stock, 1933). An English equivalent of this abridgment, together with Fay’s preface, was published by Harcourt, Brace and Co. in February 1934.
To Carl Van Vechten
[postmark: 3 September 1933] Bilignin par Belley
Ain
My dear Carl
We have been talking about you, The Seabrooks were so taken with the autobiography, so moved by it that they came and made what they called a pilgrimage here to see me, and I was awfully touched and pleased. We saw them for several days and naturally we talked a lot about you, and how much we all liked you, and we do.1
I am glad you like Américains d’Amérique, it is I think an xtraordinary translation. Of course I want it done like that in America, and I hope somebody soon will want to do it. You will see when you read it that I did it very well, the abridgment at least I think so. Have you had the Autobiography yet, I asked Harcourt to send you a copy direct to save time, I hope you will like it all, do tell me that you do, and that you were pleased with everything. Write soon and lots of love, I liked the postal, are there more like that, lot
s and lots of love
Gertrude.
1. The American writers William Seabrook (1886–1945) and his wife Marjorie Worthington (1900–1976). The Seabrooks, whom Stein had met through Van Vechten, were then living in Toulon, France.
To Gertrude Stein
8 September 1933 150 West Fifty-fifth Street
[New York]
Dear Gertrude:
I have been rereading The Autobiography in book form and have nothing but words of praise for it. It seems to me, indeed, that I have talked about nothing else since the first part appeared in the Atlantic. What a delightful book it is! I am showering copies on my happy friends… I find we are alike in two important ways: our passion for breakable things and for pigs—this passion might be united in a painted Mexican porcelain pig! Have you ever seen one? They are banks, pottery banks, and you put pennies in them. Have you a passion for banks too? I have and I am sure you have. . Anyway, I loved every minute of the book and the second reading made it seem even fresher. . I’ve also been reading Américains d’Amérique with [Bernard] Faÿ’s preface which I liked very much. I was pleased that he spoke of your laugh. And this book is very convincing in French and in this abridgement. Why couldn’t it be issued in English in this shorter form? Well, you are certainly a woojurns and I think you had better come to America where you can properly smell your triumphs and listen to your opera and be photographed (both of you) by the Maestro luimême…There is little news otherwise. I flew to San Francisco and thought of both of you there: though I dare say neither of you would recognize the place now. I constantly was afraid the taxicabs would slide down hill backwards and I caught cold in one of the fogs. Nevertheless I loved the place… I also had sciatica for a coupla days, but that was later. .