Inside Sandzen Winter 09

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.

The Winter 2009 issue of Gallery Notes, distributed to all Gallery members, concludes a three-part series "Travels with Daddy," which describes the trip to Mexico in the summer of 1935 taken by Birger Sandzén and his daughter Margaret. Included in that issue is the following letter by Birger Sandzén to his wife Alfrida, written July 29, 1935. This translation from the Swedish was made especially for the Gallery.

The hotel letterhead on the stationery uses a variant spelling of Taxco--Tasco-- and only in the letter does Birger Sandzén use that spelling. The postmark spells the town's name "Taxco."

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We have been here in Tasco for five days and both of us have done many sketches. Tasco is a small town of 2,300 inhabitants, in a valley surrounded on all sides by mountains. It is extremely picturesque with its winding streets, its cheery street life and its beautiful, simple houses that fit into the landscape. Everywhere you turn, you see beautiful subjects. Not any less picturesque are the many churches, many of which are partly in ruins, and mysterious. The vegetation is lush, almost tropical, with wonderful flowers and all kinds of trees, such as banana trees. The town's square is its focal point with the stately cathedral on one side.

This morning Greta and I were at a country road at the edge of town with our sketchbooks. A friendly Mexican came out of a doorway and asked if we would like to see his garden. We accepted his invitation with pleasure and enjoyed the wonderful profusion of flowers to the full. We found the jovial gentleman to be a painter, and quite a distinguished one at that, who will have an exhibition in New York next winter.

He had guests in his house but invited us in anyway and showed us a number of interesting paintings in his studio. He introduced us to a young Swedish woman from Stockholm, a pleasant young lady who is a student here in town. You seem to run into Swedes everywhere. Here at our hotel we have met two Swedish-Americans.

My letter writing is not going well as we have so many irons in the fire. We will give you a more detailed account when we get home. We return to Mexico City the day after tomorrow.

I don't have time to write more today. We often talk about our beloved little Frida, and about Morfar and Mormor. We hope all of you dear ones are doing very well. We're homesick, in spite of the fact that the trip is very pleasant and beneficial.

With warmest greetings from the heart--

your Birger