Correspondence

Found is Florence Arquin's personal correspondence, including copies of several letters from Diego Rivera in 1946 and 1949 and Frida Kahlo in 1943 and 1952. There is also a 1957 letter written by Arquin, apparently unfinished, recording her reaction to the death of Diego Rivera and some of her memories of their friendship. The bulk of the correspondence consists of letters from Arquin to her husband, Samuel Williams. These letters document her trip to Mexico in the early 1940s to paint as well as her role in the Kodachrome Slide Project. They provide insight into her more personal impressions and experiences during this time period. The letters describe the developement of her friendships with Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo, whom she met around 1942. They document Rivera's painting of Arquin's portrait and various meetings and conversations that Arquin had with Rivera and Kahlo. Arquin includes her impressions of Rivera's paintings, his ideas, and his working methods. Additionally, the letters document her friendships with Marc Chagall and Juan O'Gorman, and her relationship with Carlos Mérida. Researchers should note that many of these letters are difficult to date and that although an attempt has been made to arrange them chronologically, this was not always possible and some events described in the letters may appear to be out of sequence. The series also contains two folders of Samuel Williams's correspondence.