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PHILLIPS MEMORIAL GALLERY
1600 TWENTY-FIRST STREET
WASHINGTON, D. C.

DUNCAN PHILLIPS,Director
C. LAW WATKINS, Associate Director
ELMIRA BIER,Manager of Publications

February 2, 1934

Mr. Arthur G. Dove, 
Route III,
Geneva, New York.

Dear Mr. Dove: 

Just a line with the enclosed check to tell you that I have received your letters with the one you received from Buffalo and that I think you are probably wise in not going on the New York State C. W. A. payroll.  If you could send me to this Gallery any decorative landscape of America in the rough, or your idea of what the American soil means to you, and the American experiment in the whole plan of history, I could use whatever influence I have,and I fear it is not very much, to try and get you a commission to decorate one of the new Federal buildings.  The chances that you would be acceptable to the various officials and committees are none too bright but in any case I hope I have earned the right - frpm you - to see what you are doing and, from the Powers here, to make recommendations.

As to the private subsidy, if my affairs should take an unexpected turn for the better we might be able in the spring to make your monthly checks one hundred instead of fifty.  So that we can have first choice of your new work I will try to see your exhibition with Stieglitz when it first opens, but in case I am delayed here by the pressure of my work would be willing to reserve everything for a while at least?  And after the show in New York could I have a selection of the new things combined with a selection of choice examples of earlier periods? We would like to put you down for an exhibition in April and May.  By the way, without trying to make you reconsider your decision not to be a government artist I simply want to repeat what I said in my first letter that if you cared to come here to Washington our committee would give you a mural commission at $42.50 per week and I would try to make the weekly "check up" on your progress as endurable as possible.  Perhaps I alone could take care of it.  However this would prevent your going on with your show and the work would have to be new work; and you may be unable to leave Geneva. Best wishes to you and Mrs. Dove, 

As ever

Duncan Phillips

DP.E