Exploitation of Contemporary British Painters for Nazi Propaganda Purposes - Letter to the Editor of the News Chronicle. by JOHN, Augustus, Jacob Epstein, Duncan Grant et al - 1936, 18th December.

London., 1936, 18th December.. 4to. (257 x 200 mm).. Letter with typed text on two leaves of laid paper with the watermark 'Krypton Linen' recto only, second sheet with signatures in black or green ink (see below), sheets numbered '1' at foot and '2' at head and stapled at upper left. A fascinating letter concerning 'an attempt of the German Authorities to enlist the support of British Artists in the cause of Nazi Propaganda' and illustrating the increasing effect of 'Entartete Kunst'.Dated 18th December, 1936 ( the date altered from the 8th), and addressed to 'The Editor' of the 'News Chronicle', this typed letter, signed by - among others - Augustus John, Duncan Grant and Jacob Epstein, is concerned with the 'invitation' circulating among 'British Artists' to participate 'in an Exhibition of Contemporary British Painting in Berlin'.The letter continues, expressing concern for the treatment of German artists (Hitler's rise to power saw the prescription or exile of German artists considered degenerate and the removal of their works from museums) as well as the work of British artists (Modernism was rejected as degenerate in all its forms): 'In view of the fact that so many German Artists are now suffering in exile, in view of the treatment of the work of several British Artists which prior to the Nazi regime was hung in German Galleries, and in view of the recent decree which bans all art criticism in Germany, may we ask all British Artists to do their utmost to check this naive attempt to disguise propaganda as a love of culture.'The letter concludes with a nod to the 'London group', 'who were invited subject to the exclusion of 'certain works which could not be accepted for political reasons'' and who had already 'officially rejected the invitation'!Composed against the background of rising repression of the arts - the first Entartete Kunst exhibition was held in Germany the following year, 1937 - this expression of solidarity among fellow artists is signed on the second leaf by Ethelbert White, Duncan Grant, James Fitton, Charles Guinness, Augustus John, Jacob Epstein and Matthew Smith.The change in date of the letter - altered in green ink from '8' to '18' - although possibly a typing error, appears most likely a deliberate postponement due to the abdication crisis which occupied many column inches in the first ten days of 1936 (Edward VIII's abdication was reported in the News Chronicle on Friday 11th); rather than dilute the impact of their letter, it appears that the signatories decided to delay its publication and the letter was published without revision (save the capitalisation of the 'g' in 'London Group'), the first in that day's letters column, under the heading 'German Invitation to British Artists'.