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Xavier Martinez (1869-1943).

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:200.00 USD Estimated At:400.00 - 600.00 USD
Xavier Martinez (1869-1943).
A travel journal together with a grouping of six drawings from Xavier Martinez's sketching trip to Arizona, June to August 1913; and three "calendar" illustrations for June to August 1913. MARTINEZ, XAVIER (JAVIER TIMOTEO MARTINEZ Y OROZCO). 1869-1943. JOURNAL: Red leather, measuring 2 1/4in x 5in; comprising 21 leaves/42 pages of handwritten entries in ink and pencil, plus additional pages with notations, and blank pages. 1913. Good condition; very slight edge toning, with pages clean and readable. A tiny but wonderful account of Xavier Martinez's trip to Arizona, along with fellow artist Francis McComas -- a trip reportedly contrived by his wife Elsie (who was approaching her pregnancy due date), with the help of Martinez's friend and patron, Charles Sutro. The journal begins June 13, Piedmont, California, and ends August 28 waiting in Barstow for the last leg of his journey home, having received a telegram announcing the birth of his daughter the day before. In her oral history, "San Francisco Bay Area Writers and Artists", Elsie says of the trip: "...I decided I just couldn't have Marty around, he was too hysterical";  McComas made arrangements for him to travel ahead to Hubble's Trading Post in Ganado, where Hubble and Mr. Cotton would "look after him" (Bancroft Library, 1962-1969:93-96). In his journal entries, Martinez writes engagingly of his day-to-day experiences, including preparations in Piedmont and thoughts of his "Harem"; the Franciscan Brother he shares drinks and conversations with on the train journey; the heat and dust; meals, and drinks in hotel bars; his impressions/interactions with Navajo and Hopi people; Mr. Hubble and his wife's recent death; Hubble arranging wagon transportation with Navajo drivers; moments of observing the sky and desert; reference to Balzac; sketches of potters on the Mesa; the trip home and the telegram of his daughter's birth. There are also notes of Hopi language words, and expenses/modes of transport for his journey. ARTWORK: Consisting of two charcoal sketches, and two charcoal/pastel drawings (ranging from 5 3/4in x 8in to 8 1/2in x 11 1/2in), one unsigned; three signed with "X" monogram and inscribed. Depicting:  "at foot of 1rst Mesa - Ariz - Aug - 1913"; "2nd Mesa - Arizona"; "Polacca - Arizona - Aug 18 - 1913 - 6. am"; and three without inscriptions, showing a figure with bluffs/pueblos beyond, and two of figures with pots. Condition of artwork: toning, spotting, small edge tears; one of the pastels with torn/taped-on fragment. In addition, three chalk/pastel illustrations for the months of his travels, June, July, and August 1913; each 9 1/2in x 6in; good condition. From the Family of Xavier Martinez (1869-1943), Elsie Whitaker Martinez (1890-1984), and Micaela Martinez DuCasse (1913-1989).