Letter

CO-2244 Hemingway, Mary Moon. [Carta] 1946 Jan. 2, New York, NY [para] Candido Portinari, Rio de Janeiro, RJ. 2 p. [inglês][datilografado] Dear Sr. Portinari: Please forgive me for writing in English, but Portuguese I have none, and French is for me impossible on the typewriter. I hasten to identify myself before this grows more complex – Mary Moon Hemingway. I was in Rio last year for House and Garden and had the pleasure of meeting you and your charming family. Since them I trust you have received from us your pictures and a copy of the issue I worked on. In any event I am now doing a labor of love for my university. And without your interest I shall be lost. We are trying very hard to raise a great sum of money, a great deal of publicity and eventually government legislation to raise the salaries of professors and teachers in the U.S.A. We, of necessity are beginning with our own school. One of our fund-raising projects is a South American Show at the Knoedler Gallery in New York. The opening will be given for Bryn Mawr, my school, and without some of your work, it seems a rather pointless project. We cannot even claim a South American exhibition without showing the very best there is. I realize you do not like to enter into such projects, but I feel the nature of this one may well interest you. The raising of teaching salaries is certainly one of our most pressing and important duties and a shamefully neglected one. Anything we can do, we are willing to try. Naturally we can borrow some of your works from the Museums but we prefer to have you make your own choices and to show your more recent concepts. I myself, was completely fascinated by your famine paintings, but would be very grateful if I could have your opinions on the subject. The show is for April, so I would appreciate a great deal if I could hear anything you have to say at your earliest convenience. Too if there are any suggestions you might offer on the show or the project I would be eternally grateful. I do hope we shall be able to work out something on this and wait to hear from you anxiously. Naturally the technicalities would be handled by the Galleries but the show is ours. May I wish you, your wife, son and nephew a very Happy New Year and the fulfillment of your dearest wishes for 1947. I regret we were never able to finish our political discussions or have dinner that last night before we left. Someday I will, and this time bring my husband if I may. Faithfully yours, Mary Moon Hemingway (Mrs. Booth Hemingway) %Mrs. John L. Moon 875 Park Ave. New York 21, N.Y. U.S.A. 2