In this letter to an artist, Merton begins by commissioning a statue, but begins to explore the possibility of founding a new monastery near Quito. The English translation of the 1958/11/16 letter is a copy from the Gethsemani Abbey Archives and was enclosed in a letter sent from Dom James Fox to Abbot General Gabriel Sortais, see "Fox, James, Dom" file.
Jaime Andrade was an Ecuadorian sculptor and engraver from Quito. Merton commissioned him to do a statue of the Virgin Mary and child Jesus in dark wood for the novitiate library.
Usage permission for letters to Merton from Columbia University must be obtained from the Columbia University Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
If the person in correspondence with Merton has full text records in the Merton Center Digital Collections, there will be a numeric link to them below.
This Record Sub-Group is not divided into Series and is arranged chronologically.
Click icons for links: ✓="Published | Library Record", ✉="Scanned" | 🗷="Scanned, Viewable Only at Merton Center"
| # | Date | From/To | First Lines | Pub ✓ | Notes |
| | y/m/d | Merton | | Scan ✉ | |
| 1. |
1958/02/05 |
TLS[x] from Merton to Julio Endara |
Tengo el honor de pedirles, a Uds, ayuda en un asunto que interesera tal artista Ecuadoriano. |
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[Merton writes to the Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana in Quito, Ecuador - Dr. Julio Endara was President and he gave Merton's letter to Jaime Andrade]
«detailed view» |
| 2. |
1958/02/24 |
HLS to Merton |
El distinguido Presidente de la Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana, Dr. Julio Endara, se |
|
heard about Merton's plans to commission a statue of Mary and Child Jesus and offers to take up the job
«detailed view» |
| 3. |
1958/03/03 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
Le agradezco mucho su carta, y voy a explicarle mis ideas para la obra propuesta, de una estatua de |
✓ |
commissions and describes plan for a Statue of the Blessed Virgin for the Novitiate Library / vocation of artist and monk-priest / Nativity and Native Americans
«detailed view» |
| 4. |
1958/03/03 (#02) |
transcript from Merton |
I thank you very much for your letters, and I am going to explain to you my ideas about the work |
✓ |
translation of the 1958/03/03 letter to commission and describe a plan for a Statue of the Blessed Virgin for the novitiate library (translator's handwriting, not Merton's)
«detailed view» |
| 5. |
1958/03/03 (#03) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
Le agradezco mucho su carta, y voy a explicarle mis ideas para la obra propuesta, de una estatua de |
✓ |
commissions and describes plan for a Statue of the Blessed Virgin for the Novitiate Library / vocation of artist and monk-priest / Nativity and Native Americans
«detailed view» |
| 6. |
1958/03/18 |
HLS[x] to Merton |
Contesto su interesante carta de 7 de los corriente. Mi plan de trabajo será el siguiente: |
|
«detailed view» |
| 7. |
1958/03/27 |
TALS[x] from Merton |
Le agradezco mucho su carta del 18, y tengo mucho gusto en decirle antesde todo que nuestro Padre |
|
«detailed view» |
| 8. |
1958/03/31 |
HLS[x] from Merton |
He … de la biblioteca |
|
«detailed view» |
| 9. |
1958/04/18 |
TALS[x] to Merton |
Recibí hace algunos días sus estimables cartas del 27 y 31 de marzo las cuales no ha sido posible |
|
«detailed view» |
| 10. |
1958/05/14 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
Since you understand English well, I can write to you in that language and thus save a little time. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 11. |
1958/07/08 |
HLS[x] to Merton |
No he podido contestar a sus cartas mi agradecerle por el envío de su interesante |
|
«detailed view» |
| 12. |
1958/07/18 (#01) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
It was very good to get your letter, the pictures, and especially the picture of the model |
✓ |
Merton's feedback and suggestions after seeing a picture of the model statue - other thoughts on American art / invitation to come to Gethsemani - Merton's desire to visit Ecuador / proposal for "a new form of monastic life" near Quito - in contact with life of the region and the soil, but also with the culture of the city / no monastic habit, no emphasis on apostolate or education / Merton "a revolutionist" but non-violent
«detailed view» |
| 13. |
1958/07/18 (#02) |
TL from Merton |
If I were free to do what I thought best myself, or if I could get permission to do it somehow (and |
✓ |
[this is a fragment of a longer letter of the same date] proposal for "a new form of monastic life" near Quito - in contact with life of the region and the soil, but also with the culture of the city / no monastic habit, no emphasis on apostolate or education / Merton "a revolutionist" but non-violent
«detailed view» |
| 14. |
1958/07/29 |
HLS[x] from Merton |
Gracias por su atenta carta de 18 de julio por el cheque de quinientos dólares que |
|
«detailed view» |
| 15. |
1958/08/08 |
TCS[x] from Merton |
Your letter arrived this morning and I enjoyed all of it very much. I reply immediately to your |
|
[verso of card: photo and text, "Statue of St. Bernard (by Peter Watts) Abbey of Gethsemani, Ky."]
«detailed view» |
| 16. |
1958/11/12 |
HLS[x] from Merton |
Circunstancia espacialísimas me han impedido escribí a usted dando contestación |
|
[see 1958/11/16 letter for an English translation of this letter]
«detailed view» |
| 17. |
1958/11/16 |
transcript to Merton |
Special circumstances have prevented my writing to you to thank you for the 2 pieces of literature |
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[translation of 1958/11/12 letter] Merton's poem "Prometheus" / Mother and Child statue taking shape - child must hold something: branch, fruit, root / not interested in Trappist foundation in Quito - vices of colonial times, cultural loss, exploitation of the people by Church / books requested from Cultural Center - Julio Endara
«detailed view» |
| 18. |
1958/11/20 (#01) |
TL from Merton |
I am grateful to you for your long and interesting letter, and for your thoughtful, sincere answer |
✓ |
Child in statue should be holding a "fruit, flower or leaf" indigenous to South America - not corn because of associations with bad art / acknowledges problems with the monastic mission in Ecuador, but sees value in a cultural and social mission to Indians - opposition from orthodox Communists
«detailed view» |
| 19. |
1958/11/20 (#02) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
I am grateful to you for your long and interesting letter, and for your thoughtful, sincere answer |
✓ |
Child in statue should be holding a "fruit, flower or leaf" indigenous to South America - not corn because of associations with bad art / acknowledges problems with the monastic mission in Ecuador, but sees value in a cultural and social mission to Indians - opposition from orthodox Communists
«detailed view» |
| 20. |
1959/01/22 |
HLS[x] to Merton |
Debí haber contestado su interesante carta del pasado mes de noviembre a tiempo |
|
«detailed view» |
| 21. |
1959/02/06 |
TALS[x] from Merton |
Your wonderfully welcome letter and the pictures came on my birthday and I was very happy to get |
|
«detailed view» |
| 22. |
1959/02/16 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
By now you should have received my reply to your letter, with the check |
|
«detailed view» |
| 23. |
1959/02/20 |
HLS[x] to Merton |
Gracias por su carta. Estoy muy contento que el trabajo le haya |
|
«detailed view» |
| 24. |
1959/03/06 |
TLS[x] from Merton |
I was glad to get your letter and am replying immediately to say that we would like to have |
|
«detailed view» |
| 25. |
1959/03/18 |
HLS[x] to Merton |
Contesto su dos últimas cartas y espero hacerlo en forma muy sintética en beneficio del tiempo |
|
«detailed view» |
| 26. |
1959/04/19 (#01) |
TALS[x] from Merton |
The statue finally arrived safely three days ago and is now installed in the novitiate library. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 27. |
1959/04/19 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton to Julio Endara |
La estatua de la Santísima Virgen y el Niño por Jaime Andrade ha sido recibida e instalada aquí, |
|
«detailed view» |
| 28. |
1959/04/19 (#03) |
transcript from Merton to Julio Endara |
The statue of the Blessed Virgin and Child by Jaime Andrade has been received and installed here, |
|
[English transcript of the same letter to Dr. Endara]
«detailed view» |
| 29. |
1960/02/27 |
HLS[x] from Merton |
It was a joy to get your letter and to see the photographs of the new work which is very impressive. |
|
«detailed view» |
| 30. |
1961/02/09 (#01) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
It is already over a month since I received your good letter. It was my intention to reply to it |
|
«detailed view» |
| 31. |
1961/02/09 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton to whom it may concern |
I have no hesitation in recommending Jaime Andrade, sculptor, of Quito Ecuador, as a worthy |
|
«detailed view» |
| 32. |
1964/08/21 |
TLS to Merton |
Discúlpeme usted que de tarde en tarde le escriba unas letras. Mis actividades no me dejan mucho |
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[includes color slide of mosaics] Emblems in a Season of Fury / good translations of poems / explanation of new artistic style that Andrade is developing of mosaics in relief employed in modern architecture
«detailed view» |
| 33. |
1964/10/28 (#01) |
TL[c] from Merton |
It was good to get your letter and to hear of your new work. The mosaics in relief seem to me to be |
✓ |
[Merton writes "Jaime Andrade" in pen above "Dear Jaime"] books on Ecuadorian folk lore / Merton's abstract drawings
«detailed view» |
| 34. |
1964/10/28 (#02) |
TLS[x] from Merton |
It was good to get your letter and to hear of your new work. The mosaics in relief seem to me to be |
✓ |
books on Ecuadorian folk lore / Merton's abstract drawings
«detailed view» |
| 35. |
undated/no/no |
other[x] |
1. [-] JAIME ANDRADE AND HIS SCULPTURE: "THE VIRGIN AND THE CHILD" [-] Jaime Andrade in |
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[seems to be a collected transcript of various press releases about Andrade's sculpture sent to Gethsemani - "The Virgin and the Child"]
«detailed view» |
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