Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967), Butterfly and Poppies (Also known as Oriental Poppies and Swallowtail Butterfly), 1950 - 1966; watercolor and pencil on paper, 27 15/16 x 21 15/16 inches; Palmer Museum of Art, The Pennsylvania State University, Gift of James and Barbara Palmer, Image courtesy of the Charles E. Burchfield Archives
Charles Burchfield, Journals, June 4, 1952
Sunday, Jun 4, 2023
A shower in the night – Cool and muggy with low–hanging clouds.
In studio studying pictures, & looking over my 1917 work of the season.
Studies of Poppies.
Evening to Albright Graduation – afterwards everyone to Art School to see work of students, but B & I listen to music from Toronto, for a half-hour and then to Elliott’s – arriving just as Virginia & the Visser’t-Hoofts –
High balls & talk – all the faculty & wives there – and some others – including Igor Stravinsky’s son & his wife – so anxious was I to make some sort of contact with Stravinsky – I wanted really to tell him how much Petrouchka meant to me when I was in Art School – that I went up to him, and said [strikethrough]
made the incredibly banal remark:
“I’ve always been crazy about your father’s music.”
Shrugging his shoulders and looking bored he replied:
“Who isn’t?”
I persisted nevertheless and told him I had seen the ballet Petrouchka when an art student – and he instantly came to life – “Did you see Nijinsky?” he asked eagerly, and when I said I had, he said “Ah how fortunate you are – I have never seen saw him” and there was infinite regret in his voice.