Footnotes

¹ Receipt of this registered postcard is recorded in Schenker's diary for June 17, 1924 (p. 2681): "Von Hammer (expreß K.): erwartet mich erst nach 4^h." ("From Hammer (express postcard): expects me only after 4 o'clock."). The sittings for Schenker's portrait, which had begun in May (see Schenker's letter of May 3, JOB 94-3, [8]) resumed when Schenker visited Hammer on the Wednesday mentioned in this postcard, June 18; the diary entry for that day reads (p. 2681): "Um 4^h bei Hammer; kurze Sitzung – will Freitag zu mir kommen." ("At 4 o'clock at Hammer's; short sitting – wants to come to me on Friday."). The subsequent sittings took place at Schenker's apartment: Hammer visited the Schenkers on Friday June 20 (p. 2682): "3–5½^h Hammer; ich am Klavier; zum erstenmal zeigt er das Bild; mit uns die Jause genommen." ("3:00–5:30 Hammer; I at the piano; for the first time he reveals the picture; tea taken with us."). Hammer's visits continued: on Saturday June 21 (p. 2682): "Um 4^h Hammer; gemeinsame Jause; die Zeichnung wird immer schöner." ("At 4 o'clock Hammer; teatime together; the drawing gets better and better."); on Tuesday June 24 (p. 2682): "Hammer, 3¼–5^h; bemerkt: Hier habe ich mich sehr geplagt, bei anderen mache ich's mir leichter. . . ." ("Hammer, 3:15–5:00; remarks: I labored very hard at this, with others I take it easier. . . ."); on Wednesday June 25 (p. 2683): "Hammer von 10–12^h." ("Hammer from 10 to 12 noon.").
The last of these sittings took place on Thursday June 26 (pp. 2683–2684), just two days before the Schenkers left for Galtür on Saturday June 28: "Hammer, 3–4^h, letzte Sitzung! Das Bild fällt, wie Lie-Liechen versichert, ganz vortrefflich aus.. . . . Wegen der Platte deutet er Pläne an: von 100 Stück spricht er, die Zeichnung behält er sich selbst, erhalte ich einige Exemplare, doch nicht zum verschenken, sondern zum aufbewahren, da ihr Wert immer steigen wird. Den Verkauf will er mit Umgehung eines Händlers vom Atelier aus selbst besorgen, dann will er die Platte vernichten." ("Hammer, 3:00–4:00, last sitting! The picture has turned out quite splendidly, as Lie-Liechen assures [me]. . . . Regarding the plate, he indicates his plans: he speaks of 100 copies, he will keep the mezzotint drawing himself, I will receive several copies, though not for giving away but for keeping in store, since their value will continue to increase. He wishes to deal with the sale himself from the atelier, circumventing a dealer, then wishes to destroy the plate."). A detailed record of the political discussion that took place during June 26 sitting is included in the diary entry of that date.

Commentary

Format

printed postcard: holograph (uncial script) recipient address, recto; holograph salutation, message, valediction, and signature, verso

Provenance

Schenker, Heinrich (document date-1935)--Schenker, Jeanette (1935-c.1942)--Ratz, Erwin (c.1942-c.1945)--Jonas, Oswald (c.1945-1978)--University of California, Riverside (1978--)

Rights Holder

Heirs and representatives of Viktor Hammer

License

Permission to publish granted by the executor of the estate of Carolyn Reading Hammer October 14, 2013. Any claim to intellectual rights on this document should be addressed to the Schenker Documents Online, at schenkercorrespondence (at) mus (dot) cam (dot) uk

Digital version created: 2020-01-14
Last updated: 2011-02-12