Letter from Erich Kahn to J.P. Hodin

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[Translation/transcription]

1 Albert Studios
20 Albert Street
NW1

6 September 1967

Dear Pepi,

Many thanks for the kind letter, which brought some light into my world of shadows. Thank you also for the letter from Dr Korrte, which I’m enclosing here. I remember the Württembergische Kunstverein well, of course. Good luck! Let’s see what comes of it. The Hölderlin diptych is looking rather different now. Since we last saw each other the whole conception has changed, and I hope (hoping against hope) that I’ll be able to finish a couple of new paintings by the autumn, that no illness or inflammation will get in the way. Joyce has been so sick over the last few months that we didn’t know what to do, and this all plays out in the one room. I myself have been taking too many walks (one does anything for one’s health), tempted out by sun and blue skies, which are irresistible. I have no seagulls to feed (‘the seagulls all look as though they ought to be called Emma’) and have to make do with finches and sparrows. And with squirrels, which look like grey rats with showy tails.

I’ve been to see various healers and medics, most recently an NHS doctor, because I still haven’t got my voice back. He produced a laryngeal mirror from his box – in the Magic Mountain it’s called a ‘clever little device’ – and had a good look around in my larynx but didn’t find anything ominous. Before too long I shall have to have some more teeth pulled because they tell me they’re inflamed and could be the cause of this prolonged distortion of my voice (which sounds like the impotent hissing of a goose).

One lady admirer has found a small self-portrait from last winter (but not the self-portrait from the summer). I’ll write that piece about art and expressionism as soon as I can.

Very best wishes to you and Pamela, and thanks again.

Erich

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