[EROTICA]: BAYROS FRANZ VON (1866-1924) Austrian Illustrator & Artist, remembered for his erotic themes and ...

[EROTICA]: BAYROS FRANZ VON (1866-1924) Austrian Illustrator & Artist, remembered for his erotic themes and controversial Tales at the Dressing Table portfolio. An interesting L.S., von Bayros, two pages, large 4to, Vienna, 23rd November 1919, to a gentleman in America. Bayros informs his admirer that he is busy preparing new pictures for an exhibition in Berlin and also has 'a big order for an edition de Luxe of Dante's Divine Comedy, the illustrations of which is a particular pleasure to me', further adding that he receives no royalties from the sale of books and discussing the prices of his original works, 'My only fear is that my prices will strike you all as beeing (sic) very high but you have no idea how absolutely frightful it is to live in Vienna now and how really miserably we exist at present upon an income which would have made me a ''bien situe'' man before the war'. Bayros continues 'I am very anxious to know how you like my folio with 50 new pictures. The author R. H. Bartsch (author of the most charming Rokoko stories I know) has written a very good preface to it, and perhaps it will interest you also to learn something about Bayros as a man', further referring to other books and illustrations which have appeared in magazines and 'that I have designed 10 costumes for an excellent young Viennese dancer, Miss Gertrud Bodenwieser'. The illustrator also discusses one of his contemporaries, 'I was very interested in what you wrote about Raphael Kirchner. It is a great pity about him, he [was] exceedingly talented. I do not think he was destined to live a long life. I heard that he is said to have been a morphinist. I certainly know that his wife is a victim to this terrible habit'. A letter of interesting content not only for its references to Bayros's work, but also several of his artistic Austrian contemporaries. VG Rudolf Hans Bartsch (1873-1952) Austrian Military officer and Writer, nominated on six occasions for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Gertrud Bodenwieser (1890-1959) Austrian Dancer & Choreographer, a pioneer of expressive dance. Raphael Kirchner (1876-1917) Austrian Artist & Illustrator, remembered for his Art Nouveau and pin-up works, particularly in picture postcard format. STANHOPE PHILIP: (1694-1773) 4th Earl of Chesterfield. British Statesman, Diplomat & Man of Letters. A.L.S., Lord and Lady Chesterfield, in the third person and also on behalf of his wife, one page, n.p., 24th October n.y. (annotated c.1765 in pencil in an unidentified hand), to the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle. Chesterfield writes that 'They are very sorry that any return of Her Grace's complaint should oblige her to take a Bath journey which they believe is not very agreeable to her, but of which however they will profit; by paying their Court to her Grace and to the Duke whenever he happens to be there'. A couple of small, light circular stains to the body of text, otherwise VG Thomas Pelham-Holles (1693-1768) 1st Duke of Newcastle. British Prime Minister 1754-56, 1757-62, Newcastle succeeded Chesterfield as Secretary of State for the Northern Department and Leader of the House of Lords in 1748. Harriet Pelham-Holles (1701-1776) Duchess of Newcastle, famous for the sumptuous parties which she organised with her husband over several decades, the guests even including political rivals.