Letter from Marvin Ross to Mildred Bliss, 1703 32nd St., Washington 7, D.C., May 8, 1957 Digital
Scope and Contents
Handwritten letter from Marvin C. Ross to Mildred Bliss telling her the story of the boy and the violin was beautiful and delightful. He says her luncheon on Saturday (May 4, 1057?) was like being in a fairy land because the garden was so charming.
Jack [John Thacher, Director of Dumbarton Oaks] asked Marvin to come in on Sunday morning (May 5, 1957) and talk with people about Mildred's Byzantine collection. The men were fascinated with the collection and charmed with the explanations. The women wanted necklaces like those that belonged to Septimine Severina from the Piazza della Consolazione. The women were especially enchanted with the wedding rings and some wanted their own and their husbands portraits like Aristophanes and Vigilantia (sister of Byzantine emperor, Justinian I), others wanted one with Christ performing the marriage ceremony. The portable mosaics, enamels especially St. Demetrius, ivory boxes especially for drugs, tiny gold reliefs, and the glyptics all delighted the people.
Madame Fotich recounted a fascinating passage in the life of St. Alexius (VI century). St. Alexius said that in his youth wehen he retired to his bridal chamber with his bride he gave her a ring and a belt! Marvin searched for text that would explain the use of the marriage belt at Dumbarton Oaks and the one belonging to the Count de Boisgelin and offers it. "The belt was given privately and not as part of the marriage ceremony which probably consisted only of joining the right hands of the bridge and groom as shown on Mildred's belt. Thus the Dumbarton Oaks Collection cointinues to enlighten us about the past as well as giving pleasure."
Dates
- Creation: May 8, 1957
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)
- Thacher, John, 1904-1982 (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