Albert Einstein Beautiful Signed Photograph at the Metropolitan Opera, on His Visit to the U.S. in 1930 A gorgeous signed photograph of Einstein inscribed and presented to Metropolitan Opera press representative William Guard, on Einstein’s celebrated visit to the Met to see Carmen on December 12, 1930

12/12/30. We obtained this photograph directly from the Guard heirs, and it has never before been offered for saleIn December 1930, Albert Einstein visited America for the second time. It was originally intended as merely a two-month working visit as a research fellow at the California Institute of Technology, but Einstein’s popularity made the trip headline news. After arriving in New York City, Einstein was taken to various places and events, including Chinatown, a lunch with the editors of The New York Times, and a performance of Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera on December 12, where Einstein, an opera buff who revered Mozart, Bach, and other great (truncated) composers, was cheered by the audience on his arrival.William Guard was engaged by the Manhattan Opera Company as a press representative upon its organization in 1906. Upon the company's dissolution, he took a similar position with the Metropolitan Opera, remaining with the company until his death in 1932. Einstein met Guard at his office on his visit to the Met.Newspapers reported on December 14, 1930: “Einstein Theory Defined in Sentence”. “At last Prof. Einstein has hit upon a one sentence definition of relativity which anyone can understand. He was chatting recently in the office of William Guard, factotum of the Metropolitan Opera. ‘Professor,’ said Guard, ‘I have a definition of your relativity theory, and I would like to know if it is correct.’ The Professor smiled. There are presumed to be only a handful of wise men in the entire world who are able to understand it. ‘My definition is this,’ said Guard. ‘There is no hitching post in the universe—so far as we know.’ Einstein laughed and nodded assent vigorously.”A spectacular 8 by 10 inch photograph of Einstein, inscribed and presented by the great scientist to Guard on his visit to the Met: ""Mr. William J. Guard / A. Einstein / 12. XII.30.” We obtained this photograph directly from the Guard heirs, and it has never before been offered for sale. (Inventory #: 20345)