Featured Mexican artist José Luis Cuevas- letter

hi - i just brought this online - what i thought to be a sketch of beetles but when i received it i realized it is a an illustrated letter.
i don’t know a word of spainish but got a bit of help on line - and realized it was between two artists. i played detective - and i believe that i found out that’s it’s from José Luis Cuevas to another artist called Mathias Goeritz
- if it - does anyone have any idea what i should do with it ? maybe it could be important for someone? he has his own museum (but their website is not working)
but then again i could be totally wrong ! lol

 

Would you be kind enough to repost your photographs as Full Image please? And then let's see what you've got.

First thing... Is the letter dated? At a guess, I'd think it dates to 1957 as the author seems to refer to the David Duncan photographs of that year.

Debora

 

lol! thank you - just as i worked out how to do it!
the letter says “phi 57” in the top left so i imagine it’s 57

 

I think this looks good. The author mentions representing México at an upcoming "international" in Pittsburg; Cuevas did indeed do that.

Debora

 

Sure it's "phi"? That's not an abbreviation that would be part of a date.

Debora

 

i could be reading it wrong ...

 

Ah... Cuevas was in Philadelphia in 1957. That might be the source of the abbreviation.

http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0185-12762012000200006

Debora

 

right - that makes sense then. i love the illustration hence the reason i brought it but love it more because of the fun looking for information on it

 

Yeah, I think you're good. Cuevas and Mathias were very good friends so the closing "Your friend who loves you a lot." not inappropriate.

A great find. And one I assume has some scholarly and financial value. May I ask where you found it?

Debora

 

online auction - here in israel - and it was sold as unknown artist . i really brought it for the beetles ! lol. i’m sure that would be interesting for someone to see
and i’m have to say it’s killing me not to open the frame to see what’s on the back ...lol but i will control myself

 

There's no reason you can't open the back. Doing so won't effect the value in any way. And, you should make sure that materials (backing paper, glass) are museum quality so won't do damage over time.

Now, wonder how it got to Israel? Obviously valued by someone.

Debora

 

Mathias was in México, D.F. in 1957 but was separating from his wife during that period. That may explain the warmth of the closing.

Debora

 

And he was Jewish which may explain a connection to Israel.

Debora

 

i was now looking and saw that he designed a community building in Jerusalem .

 

A lot of his auctioned items came from the collection of Yehudit Shaltiel in Israel. According to the internet, her husband was Israeli ambassador to México at one point and she and Goeritz were lovers. He had no heirs; she may well have been the provenance.

Debora

 

Debora: what amazing sleuthing!! Very satisfying to follow along as you all reason this out.

 

Very interesting seeing the story of this letter unfold here.

 

It's such an interesting find, isn't it?

Debora

 

Some of his letters are in the Metropolitan Museum. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/484293