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.

A recent Sandzén Archives acquisition is an initial transcription of Margaret Sandzén Greenough's "Introduction" to a proposed book about her father, Birger Sandzén. This was handwritten by Dr. James Kaplan, Professor of French at Minnesota State University Moorhead, who transcribed it in early 1990 from ordered materials on numbered slips of paper, and he made the donation to the Archives. Although typed copies of this and a revision of it were made later, no typescript has yet surfaced.

Additional specific information concerning the origin of the work is printed in the Spring 2004 issue of Gallery Notes. Also in this issue, distributed to all Sandzén Gallery members, is the complete version of this transcription.

Although Margaret Greenough was an artist, art historian, art critic, and teacher, in this introduction she sets down simply her memories of her father in order to highlight his characteristics as a person with many varied interests and abilities. An excerpt from this work follows, with added reference material bracketed.

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"How he loved the Smoky River with the trees, especially in the autumn. While many artists were painting their versions of dust storms in the 1930s, Father chose to ignore this subject matter. When I asked him why, he replied, 'Oh, it will rain again.' Nor did he like to paint snow unless it was on a mountain side.

"Father enjoyed painting still lifes and was quite addicted to big green hedge balls, not to forget the purple egg-plant and citrus fruits. When it came to flowers, the sunflower was easily number one, but coxcombs, chrysanthemums and cactus blooms weren't far behind. . . .

"Father taught French and Spanish for thirty-four years, not to forget classes in art history. He acknowledged that Alphonse Daudet [French novelist, 1840-1897] was probably his favorite author. Albert Engstrom, a Swede, was his favorite humorist. [Engstrom, who lived from 1869 to 1940, was also an artist and satiric cartoonist.] A favorite example of Engstrom's humor was the remark by a man who, having been introduced to a friend's twin sons, said, 'It's wonderful how much you two look alike-you Karl and you John, especially you John.'"

Gallery Notes is distributed to all Gallery members four times a year. New members who want to begin with the Spring 2003 issue, with its lengthy additional articles on Henry Varnum Poor as well as other Gallery information, should make a special note of it on their membership forms. A copy will be sent as long as supplies last. Research visitors and requests are always welcome at the Gallery Archives.

Inside Sandzen (2004 winter edition)
Inside Sandzen (2003 fall edition)
Inside Sandzen (2003 summer edition)
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
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