Paul Cadmus (1904-1999) letters, postcards and correspondence written by Cadmus to Oliver Clement Sheehan (Maine, 1894-1955). The letters are from the period of 1942-1955. These letters originally belonging to Oliver Clement Sheean and provided to the Maine Historical Society, Portland, Maine as part of his collection, were deaccessioned by the Historical Society, September 1955 (Included is the correspondence sent by Marian B. Rowe of the Historical Society to Aubrey H. Starke, Washington, DC; the purchaser of the letters).
One of the Cadmus letters dated 1954, in part reads: "Dear Oliver, Have I previously sent you this boy who stands guard so nicely outside the museum in Copenhagen?"...Working as hard as I have been (and as I foresee, I shall be doing for many many months) on BAR ITALIA is very detrimental to letter writing".
An earlier letter dated June 22, 1942 reads in part: "I am ashamed of myself - and I don't feel that my private difficulties and worries are adequate excuse for my delay in answering your nice letter. I'm afraid that I have waited too long and that your soldier friend has come and gone. In case not - I am sending a little etching (as apology) for you to give him with my compliments".
Also included is a Christmas card (depicting Pablo Picasso's drawing of Pierrot and Harlequin) from Dec 23rd, 1942 with a personal note and an enclosed biography. The biography is referenced in the note,... "I'm sending you, separately a little biography of me that appeared last summer. It will give you some notion of what I'm like. Better than I could anyway". The biography reads in part:..."this tall blond, mild-mannered bachelor has been the center of two celebrated artistic affaires and has constantly stirred up violent controversy. He himself shrugs away the charges of vulgarity, brutality, grossness, and savagery which have been hurled at him...".
An interesting treasure trove of insight into the life of Paul Cadmus and a rare opportunity for the Cadmus collector.