Undated letter from Erich Kahn to J.P. Hodin

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[Translation/transcription]

1 Albert Studios
4 Albert Street
NW1

Monday

Dear Pepi,

Many thanks for the two cards from Paris. Here, in haste, is my reply to your questions. The other one later –

I do not always paint in series, but I admit that even if I do not, the picture seems to fit quite naturally into one wider oeuvre, of a series of paintings 'The Philosophers' (title not final). The 'Hamlet' is really one of many dream paintings etc.

As far as such a thing as logic is conceivable in a manifestly irrational activity like painting, such a sub-division of one work into several pictures seems reasonable enough. Another reason, rational or not, is that the painting of series gives me the same pleasure as it gives a novellist or a dramatist when he produces a trilogy etc.

(on subject matter)

'Modern History' is still a fragment and the only picture of that series in existenze is the rather early 'Russian Revolution' (a second picture has not left the stage of a sketch and was to be called 'all the conspirators'). These pictures, although not narratives, owe their existence and their whole raison d'être to the original idea. 'Russian Revolution' was the first attempt to give an impression of the impact of world drama (1957) and the series of attempts has not ended yet although I found a more definite form last year.

What I have said about 'Modern History' applies also to the other series (I may add here that the 'Figaro' series suffer from the too small size, from a too general and vague conception of music and drama, so that I would, if I can, like to take the theme up again in its proper form and size.)

How many series have I painted? There was a series of pictures of the war 'The Conspiracy' (42) 'The Fugitives' (41) (Coll. Lethbridge, Guildford) 'The Chroniclers' (42) (battered and jaundiced, knocking about at Sander's Queenswood Gallery)

2, Apart from pictures shown at the Drian (58) Strangers Land 2, there is Modern History just mentioned, the series Figaro and the London Elegies, and, in the sketch state 'Posthumous Portraits' Luther, Beethoven, Dostoewski and probably others.

There is one of the larger paintings 'La belle Juive' which may be incorporated into 'Modern History'.

The Legends. ([illegible] = Chatin’s possession)

Warmest regards and see you soon. I’ll send you those forms soon.

Erich

(I’ve had a mammoth cold for the last week.)

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