Box LTFBOX/MYERS Box 1

Scope and contents

The drawing 'Wu Man' shows a portrait of Rudi Rappold, Vali's husband. The drawing has been described by Vali in 'Vali Myers: Drawings 1949-79', p. 44-45: 'A portrait of Rudi, in blue, with red hair. On his gloved and bejewelled hand is his white owl that he healed of a broken leg and let free. A evening these beautiful bird with their haunting cry come down from the Mountains of Milk to hunt in our valley, that opens to the sea.'

Scope and contents

Described by Vali Myers in 'Vali Myers: Drawings 1949-79', London, Open House, 1980, p. 74-75:

'My Dido was inspired by Virgil's Aeneid. Dido was the Phoenician Queen who build her kingdom, Carthage, on the coast of Tunisia and lived her life of purple and gold before fate decreed that she die on a sword in a sea of flames. In the valley nearby my house is a beautiful waterfall that I have called after Dido and her passionate tears.

Scope and contents Shows a central female figure with red hair weeping, surrounded by animals with leaves, thorns and mice in her hair and a raven perched above her head. The drawing shows the view from Il Porto looking out between the high cliffs towards Galli Island, Positano. Includes sunflower motif in highly detailed bodice of figure.Described by Vali Myers in 'Vali Myers: Drawings 1949-79, London, Open House, 1980' p. 80-81: 'This drawing was begun at the time of the Yom Kippur War '73 and...

Scope and contents

'Wild Goose' is described by Vali in 'Vali Myers Drawings: 1949-79', London, Open House, 1980, p. 118-119:

'Portrait of my Mother, and my Father, on their Wedding Day, and a self portrait. My Mother called me her Wild Goose, for that restless spirit is in my blood like the tides of the sea. For the storm driven, harbours are only ports of call'.

Scope and contents

Shows a central female figure of a fox woman, with a halo of red hair and a foxes tail. Her hands are raised and there are two goats loating below her face. The face of the fox woman is hovering over the landscape in the background.

Described by Gianni Menichetti in 'Notes about Vali's drawings in this book' (YMS 16336, Box 6/3): A Fox Woman, a Spirit Woman, out in a desert, her eyes meeting the horizon, with two young goats above her breasts.

Scope and contents Shows a central female figure with tears in her eyes, red hair and a fox looking out, there is a male figure on the right playing a violin and another male figure on the left with a pink wig. They are surrounded by intricate and detailed scenes of animals and Il Porto, the domed pavilion, a statue of a Madonna and animals of varying sizes. Animals depicted include Foxy, Fingualla the donkey, a pair of ravens and goats. The ravens are standing on a green book or diary which is dated 1981 on...

Scope and contents Shows a nude female figure with red hair reclining on a bed of flowers with head resting on a scull, and a raven to left of figure. Transparent green curtains on the right and left. Title from inscription in image lower centre: - is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream E. A. Poe. The drawing and title reference Edgar Allan Poe's poem 'A dream within a dream'. Described by Gianni Menichetti in 'Notes about Vali's drawings in this book' (YMS 16336, Box 6/3): Nigredo...

Scope and contents Shows a large central female nude figure surrounded by a raven, dog and whale, with small figures of men in the top right rowing, hunting and harpooning the great whale in the top right corner. The drawing is described by Robert K. Wallace in 'Vali Myers: Between the dusk and dawn', p. 38: "in this drawing too, the face and breasts of a frontal female figure are framed overhead by a bleeding white whale surging toward the small black men who have initiated the attack. "Rather...

Scope and contents Shows a female nude figure with long red hair, wearing earrings and a necklace, holding two snakes that are entwined around her legs. To the right is a depiction of Il Porto with the domed pavilion looking out towards Galli Island. Above the figure amongst her red hair is the image of Foxy. Described by Gianni Menichetti in 'Notes about Vali's drawings in this book', p. 10: (YMS 16336, Box 6/3): Inspired by Shelley's long poem by the same name. A lady witch there lived on Atlas'...

Scope and contents

Shows a female figure with red hair, a sunflower and skull, a sleeping dog and scenes of the domed pavilion at Il Porto and Galli Island in the distance amongst swirling forms.

Described by Gianni Menichetti in 'Notes about Vali's drawings in this book' (YMS 16336, Box 6/3): A heavy melancholy drawing...'Love my heart for an hour, but my bone for a day at least the skeleton smiles, for it has a morrow'. (First lines of Street Song, Edith Sitwell).