Frida Kahlo to Emmy Lou Packard, 1940 Oct. 24. Letter. 20 x 15 cm. Emmy Lou Packard papers, [ca. 1940-1986]. Archives of American Art.
This letter to Packard was written from New York City where Frida was arranging a second exhibition with New York art dealer, Julien Levy. While working with Packard in San Francisco in 1940, Rivera developed difficulties with his vision and required medical attention. In the letter, Frida expresses her concern over her husband's health and asks Packard to sincerely tell her if his condition is grave enough that she should leave New York for San Francisco immediately.
"Emmy Lou my darling, Please forgive for writing you in pencil – can't find any fountain pen or ink in this house. I am terribly worried about Diego's eyes. Please tell me the exact truth about it. If he is not feeling better I will scram from here at once. Some doctor here told me that the sulphamilamid sometimes is dangerous. Please darling ask Dr. Eloesser about it. Tell him all the symptoms Diego has after taking the pills. He will know because he knows about Diego's condition in general. I am so happy he is near you. I can't tell you how much I love you for being so good to him and being so kind to me."
Frida also offers a reply to Packard regarding one of her drawings and an exhibition at the Julien Levy gallery.
"Darling, Julien Levy liked very much your drawing but he can't give you an exhibition because he says he only shows Surrealist paintings. I will talk to Pierre Mathisse [Matisse] and I am sure I can arrange something here for you next year. I still like the first one you made of me better that the others".
Kahlo refers to Pierre Matisse, the younger son of the French artist Henri Matisse, who opened a gallery in New York in 1931, dealing in European modern and contemporary artists, such as Balthus, Marc Chagall, Jean Dubuffet, Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Georges Rouault, and Yves Tanguy. Although Emmy Lou Packard did not exhibit at the Henri Matisse Gallery she secured an exhibition in 1941 at the Stendahl Gallery in Los Angeles.
Created on ... Oct. 2, 2001