Jacques Lipchitz handwritten letter (1960)

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Typical calligraphy of Cubist sculpture pioneer Jacques Lipchitz writing to a lucky art student.

Letter written and signed by Chaim Jacob Jacques" Lipchitz to Lynn Stragger, an art student in Philadelphia, USA. Comes with original envelope. One page. In English. 20 cm x 21.5 cm. New York, 8 de March 1960. Good condition, unique piece.

Sculptor Jacob Lipchitz (1891 - 1973), better known as Jacques Lipchitz, was a French-American artist, a pioneer of Cubist sculpture. Still very young, he lived in Paris where he met other young artists such as Matisse or Modigliani. In 1913, the Mexican painter Diego Riviera introduced him to Pablo Picasso, a meeting that had a decisive influence on Lipchitz: fascinated by Picasso's style, he began to dedicate himself to cubist sculpture.

During World War II, being a Jew, he had to flee France, occupied by the Nazis. In 1941, he settled in New York, where he produced and exhibited most of his important works. He achieved international acclaim in 1954 with a major exhibition at MoMa in New York, an exhibition mentioned in that letter. In the 1960s, he returned to Europe and ended his life in Italy, where he died.

There is in Brazil a sculpture by Jacques Lipchitz, called "Man with eagle", installed in the building of the Ministry of Education and Health, in Rio de Janeiro. In 1936, the architect Le Corbusier led the team in charge of designing the building and suggested that he order a piece from the sculptor. Lipchitz sent a reduced-scale prototype to Rio, applied, by mistake, to the building's façade. In 1953, the sculpture was made in the correct dimensions for the Museum of Philadelphia, in the United States.

What draws attention to this letter, in addition to the presence of the envelope and the excellent condition of the set, is the sculptor's incredible handwriting.