Walt Kuhn (1877-1949) American painter and an organizer of the famous Armory Show of 1913, which was America's first large-scale introduction to European Modernism. In 1925, Kuhn almost died from a duodenal ulcer. Following an arduous recovery, he became an instructor at the Art Students League of New York. In 1933, the aging artist organized his first retrospective. During these years, he began to question his earlier allegiance to European Modernism. On a 1931 trip to Europe with Marie and W. Averell Harriman, his staunchest supporters, he declined to join the Harrimans on their visits to the studios of Picasso, Georges Braque, and Fernand LÈger. Yet neither did he want to align himself with the anti-Modernist camp of Regionalists like Thomas Hart Benton and politically-minded social realists. In the art politics of the day, Kuhn was caught between two extremes. By the 1940s, Kuhnís behavior began to take on unsound characteristics. He became increasingly irascible and distant from old friends. When the Ringling Brothers Circus was in town, he attended night after night. He also became frustrated by the lack of attention his own work was receiving and was particularly strident about the Museum of Modern Art's support of abstraction and neglect of American art in the postwar period. In 1948, he was institutionalized, and on July 13, 1949, he died suddenly from a perforated ulcer.Offered hereis and unsigned letter to Mrs. Walt Kuhn [Vera], Sept. 21, 1948 [date in the hand of Vera], 1 page. Letters written by Walt Kuhn in private hands are rare as most reside at the Archives of American Art, in Washington DC. This letter is important for several reasons. First, it was written at a time shortly before he was hospitalized, and when his behavior began to become unsound. Notice that he says "had to ghet away from people." He also mention's final seesion on E's picture, also had to finish the apples before they turned red - most likely talking about painting a still-life. He closes the letter simply "Comments later." Although the letter is not signed, his signature does appear on the envelope where he writes Mrs. Walt Kuhn. Also, on the back of the envelope he writes "Mrs. Sterrett died today. She was the wife of the noted cartoonist Cliff Sterrett. Picture of Kuhn is NOT included here.VG

VG