The Gertrude Stein
Medal, not issued
In the aforementioned letter, Gerta mentions her new
assignment for the first time: “I am studying Gertrude Stein’s life, and (will)
try to find more pictures of her in the library. She WAS an interesting
person!”
On 3/23/94, Ms. Wiener writes: “I just finished reading
Gertrude Stein’s ‘Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas,’ and when I got the book at
the library I immediately thought that the photo on the cover was exactly
what I’d want for a medal! I’m sending you VERY ROUGH sketches of how I could
do the front and back sides IF I succeed in doing it.”
Stein sketches for
obverse and reverse (3-23-94)
At some point, Gerta changed the concept of the portrait and
sent a revised sketch on April 4, 1994.
Stein sketch for
obverse (4-4-95)
When asked if she “can show some details of actual paintings
on the reverse,” Gerta replies (4/6/94): “No, I wouldn’t risk that, because of
possible lawsuits – you know that – but also because those pictures on the
medal will be too small.”
And she sent a photo, indicating (10/22/94): “No, I did not do it in Terra Cotta – it’s strange color is caused by a special bulb Victor
used when he took the picture, because he thought the bulb in my lamp wasn’t
bright enough. I had his little slide enlarged, so you could see Gertrude’s
expression better and I hope you like it. The roses in the background I will
work out more carefully in the plaster. Now I have to try to rest my eyes –
because they are very strained and inflamed – generally it was a very strenuous
job for me, but I loved doing it very much despite that fact!”
Stein model for
obverse (10-22-94)
On November 22, 1994 Wacks writes: Esther and I are hoping
to come up to the Berkeley-San Francisco area December 29 – December 31. Of
course we want to see you. I also want to film a little video describing the
background of the medals that you have created for the Jewish-American Hall of
Fame. Don’t worry, it won’t be a big production … just me and the camera.” (Note
that a copy of this video is included with the collection.)
In the same letter, suggestions are made: “Please make her
heavier and older, as she usually appears in photographs and paintings. Make
the roses raised.”
A week later (11/29/94), Gerta replied: “As you know, I was
not at all sure I could still achieve a perfect medal – with my unsteady hands
and the great strain on my eyes – but I tried my best – and I would not mind
one bit if you asked me to stop! I kept what I have made so far damp, but it is
slowly shrinking, and it would be very difficult indeed to give Gertrude a
fatter face – it would not be good either, as she never had a fat face on
paintings or photos – only the body was fat.”
Nevertheless, Ms. Wiener continued on Gertrude Stein (1/28/95): “I’m working hard on G. S. It’s very difficult, with my having to enlarge her
shoulders, since the entire composition has to be changed. But I try my best,”
and she concludes: “You once considered the possibility of making Gertrude S. a
one sided medal, in case that I won’t be able to dot he reverse (you know that
could happen) of Stein any more? I just wonder, and so far we don’t have to
think of it. Right?”
A newspaper article is included with this letter, featuring
a 1927 photo of Gertrude Stein.
Stein newspaper
photo (1-28-95)
A large envelope was sent on 4/4/95, containing “a sketch of the ‘a rose’ etc., that I think will very much improve the Gertrude Stein
medal. It will be done with fine lines, and will look like a tapestry behind
the massive head and shoulders, and show them up much more as a plain
background would. You asked me to send you the sketch of what I could put on
the reverse – but I cannot find it! But I had planned it something like this (see
sketch below) showing her sitting at a table writing, and the wall full of
all the paintings she had collected. After all, her writing and her picture
collections made her famous. But, Mel. As I told you before, I have no idea if
I ever could manage the reverse! The mere thought of having to go through 2
more plaster castings horrifies me!”
Unfortunately, the original plaster model for the
Gertrude Stern medal was damaged beyond repair, and no medals were produced.
In the last letter from Gerta Ries Wiener to Mel Wacks, she
writes (10/18/96): “My eyes are so bad now that I can’t see anything even with
glasses.”
And in the final letter in the collection, Gerta’s son
Edward and his wife Rose Marie write: “We are very sorry to tell you that mom
died just past midnight on March 1st (2000). We had been by her side
for much of the past 3 months. She gained weight and often was alert and happy.
On Saturday and Sunday she was smiling, ate very well and we sat together
holding hands. On Monday her nurses moved her to a wheelchair. She sat by the
large sliding glass door looking out at the beautiful Monterey Pines, the
flowers and the rays of sunlight softly filtering down through the trees. At 1 AM (on Monday) the hospital called us, telling us that she had just passed away in her
sleep.”
I would tell you that she was 101, but Gerta would not like
me to mention her age.
