 | INSIDE SANDZÉN This feature, highlighting a discovery relating to Sandzén from the archives, will be periodically updated on the website and is planned for each issue of Gallery Notes. |
Many letters written by Margaret Sandzén (Greenough) to her "best friend" Evelyn Sheetz (Harms) were recently copied thanks to the generosity of Evelyn's daughter Janet Harms Kerker. During the process of copying, several letters were chosen for use in the Summer 2003 issue of Gallery Notes, and one of these follows.
The letter of April 16, 1924, was written by Margaret to Evelyn from Orläsa, Sweden. The Sandzén family was spending February through May in Sweden. Margaret at this time was 14; she became 15 on June 16, 1924. Evelyn was 19 at the time of this letter, having had her birthday on March 10, 1924. Because of the length of this letter (eight small sheets filled on both sides) it must be represented by summaries and quotations. Margaret writes especially of activities during a two-week visit in Stockholm.
Margaret writes that she had greeted the previous letter "from my dearest chum" with "shouts from my cannon throat." She first describes their visit in general terms. Then she writes, "As to my relatives, - well, dearest, They are all prosperous, experienced and delightful people, and I don't think of them as relatives at all! (A true compliment)" After describing a girl cousin and her mother, she moves on to tell of "another uncle of mine who had three kids-a boy seventeen, and two daughters sixteen and thirteen. They had me there for dinner twice, and invited other kids besides. What fun we had! They have a 'swell' floor for dancing, and my cousin is a wonderful dancer. He knows the latest steps, and dances divinely. . . .All of those youngsters were good dancers-only the records in Sweden are as old as their churches-'Chicago' and 'Alice Blue Gown' are the latest!!!
"We also spent one memorable afternoon at the home of Carl Milles, perhaps the world's greatest living sculptor! My dear NEVER shall I forget that afternoon. [Although Margaret does not describe it, Sandzén and Milles first met at a banquet in Stockholm on this trip. Probably Margaret was elsewhere at the time. Additional information on the banquet and the later visit to the Milles home may be found in Emory Lindquist's biography of Birger Sandzén, p. 47. Many letters from Carl and Olga Milles to the Sandzéns with some from Margaret to the Milleses are filed in the Sandzén correspondence files from the period following this, and many more letters from Birger Sandzén to Carl Milles are now filed in the Milles Archives at Millesgĺrden in Stockholm.]
"This home is known to be a perfect dream - and indeed it was so interesting and beautiful [as] to almost be indescribable. And the artist and his wife themselves! They are simply the kind of people that influence you for only the good, and beautiful, and wonderful things in art. I wish you could see some of his work. It is mighty, powerful, and great! It is worth any trip to this country just to see his work, and then to be with the artist himself, in this home, is worth ten trips!
"We also had the opportunity to meet Prince Eugene in his magnificent home. The prince is a very fine artist, and a lovely, kind and unassuming man. [For more information on this visit, see Emory Lindquist's biography of Sandzén, p. 47] So you see dear, I have truly enjoyed myself on this trip, and learned a lot. Within a week we go to Copenhagen, from there along the coast, back to my Uncle's, then to Christina, Norway - then on to our boat - and home!"
Note on Christina, Norway: This was the name for Oslo from 1624 to 1925. Oslo was founded with that name c. 1050 and became the national capital in 1299. After a fire in 1624, Christian IV rebuilt and renamed it.
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Four pages of summaries and excerpts from three of Margaret's letters from Sweden, including her sketches with which she illustrated one letter, are found in the "Inside Sandzén" section
of the Summer issue 2003 issue of Gallery Notes, along with another page of "Notes from the Archives." Each member of the Sandzén Gallery receives four issues of Gallery Notes every year, and each issue provides news and documents from the Sandzén Gallery Archives.
Gallery Notes is distributed to all Gallery members four times a year. Research visitors and requests are always welcome at the Gallery Archives.
Inside Sandzen (2003 spring edition)
Inside Sandzen (2003 winter edition)
Inside Sandzen (2002 edition)
Inside Sandzen (2001 edition)
Inside Sandzen (2000 edition)
Inside Sandzen (1999 edition)
Gallery Archives
Letters and Papers