Letter from Marvin Ross to Mildred Bliss, 1703 32nd Street, Washington 7, D.C., November 19 between 1951-1960 Digital
Scope and Contents
Handwritten letter from Marvin C. Ross to Mildred Bliss reports that Mr. Wittig, a publisher from Hamburg wants to do a picture book about Mount Athos and asked if I would be willing to do the introduction and captions. Mr. Wittig had the most beautiful pictures imaginable made by a Benedictine monk who went there. They looked at other books on Mount Athos at Dumbarton Oaks and the pictures were all wretched in comparison.
Not only were Wittig's photographs of the landscape and architecture beautiful and done with great taste, but also the objects of art wre photographed superbly. All photographs in the book will be in color. He asks for both to keep their fingers crossed and hope that this project will come through.
Marvin Ross took Mr. Wittig into the Dumbarton Oaks Collection and told him that one of my dreams was to one day do a color book on Byzantine jewelry. He was bowled over by that idea. Marvin says that since he has spent so much time getting his documentation and writing catalogues and articles, he know feels it is time to bring all his ideas together in a book that will interest everybody in the great beauties of Byzantine jewelry. Although this is a project in the future, he wanted Mildred to know about the possibility as her collection will play a big part in the jewelry book.
Dates
- Creation: November 19 between 1951-1960
Creator
- Ross, Marvin C. (Marvin Chauncey), 1904-1977 (Correspondent, Person)
Language of Materials
Materials chiefly in English with a few items in Greek, Latin, French, Italian, or Spanish.
Conditions Governing Access
An appointment is required for access to these papers. To request an appointment, fill out the online form: http://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/access-and-hours/schedule-an-appointment.
For research queries, contact the staff of Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives (library@doaks.org).
Extent
23 boxes (Approximately 2632 items including correspondence, expense reports, invoices, estimates, deposit records, book lists, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and plant lists.)Creator
- Ross, Marvin C. (Marvin Chauncey), 1904-1977 (Correspondent, Person)
Subject
- Bliss, Mildred Barnes, 1879-1969 (Recipient, Person)
Repository Details
Part of the Dumbarton Oaks Repository
Dumbarton Oaks holds archival collections in its Rare Book Collection, Image Collections and Fieldwork Archives, and the Dumbarton Oaks Archives. The collections include: the papers of noteworthy scholars in the three fields that Dumbarton Oaks supports (Byzantine, Pre-Columbian, and Garden and Landscape); image collections depicting objects or sites of topical interest to scholars in the three fields; Beatrix Farrand’s personal archive of letters and original drawings that document the development of the Dumbarton Oaks Garden; and institutional records and architectural plans and drawings documenting the history of Dumbarton Oaks. For more information about hours and to make an appointment to consult any of the collections listed here, please fill out the request form: https://www.doaks.org/research/library-archives/schedule-an-appointment