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Item No. 459     Expedition Report    1923-10-25

Stewart Culin, Brooklyn Museum

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Abstract: Report on a Collecting Trip in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria, Belgium, France & England, 6-11/1923, pp. 181-183. Culin meets Clive Bell at Guillaume's in Paris. They observe Guillaume's collection , which is enlarged from Culin's previous visit in 1922, but containing nothing new in type, except a mask painted bright red and a standing Bushongo figure. In their discussion of the possibilities for the Barnes Foundation, Culin expresses a negative view of the outcome. The following morning Culin brings Mrs. Culin's African watercolors for Guillaume to view. He has a good opinion and suggests several first-class venues in Paris where they might be shown, one of which is in concert with a showing of African art at the Museum of Decorative Arts. They would not be interested in purchasing Mrs. Culin's pictures, however, Guillaume states. Culin rejects these possibilities and proposes the pictures be shown at Guillaume's. He agrees and they settle on costs including the prices for the pictures. Later, over lunch, Culin reasons that "smartness" is what people are willing to pay for and realizes in that regard the American Indian is a better inspiration than Negro sculptures, especially the masked dancers of the Pueblos.

Source: Archives: Culin Archival Collection
Location: S01_02_01_035