Ink, watercolor, and quick wit meet on this lively 1940s note from George Grosz to Erich S. Herrmann, where a sketched bottle tips into a single glass and an arrow points onward to a neat row of filled goblets. Across the top, the printed address reads “40-41 221st Street, Bayside, N.Y.,” anchoring the playful drawing in an everyday postal reality. The page balances image and handwriting like a miniature artwork, turning correspondence into a small stage for humor and friendship.
“Dear Erich” opens into a mix of German and English, with Grosz praising “the wonderful ‘boxes’” and declaring “NEW—listen: boy!” in bold, emphatic strokes. The invitation that follows is disarmingly direct—“You are cordially invited to attend the birthday party of ME”—and the promise of “lots of drinks” echoes the visual joke of wine multiplied across the margin. Even without a full transcription, the expressive script, underlines, and casual spacing convey a voice that feels present and animated.
For readers interested in George Grosz ephemera, artist letters, and mid-century art-world networks, this piece offers more than charming doodles: it shows how an acclaimed draftsman could treat a note as an extension of his practice. The combination of illustration, personal message, and legible address makes it a rich historical document for collectors and researchers alike. As a WordPress feature, it’s an ideal example of how archival correspondence can illuminate the texture of everyday life behind celebrated artworks.