In July 1941, Gustav Wolf attempted to promote his flagging artistic career in American exile. He wanted to have a secure income, at least for a period of time. The painter and graphic artist decided to apply for a grant from the New York Guggenheim Foundation. He first asked advice from the art historian Carl Zigrosser and in the request revealed a long held dream.
The artist, while preparing his application for a grant, came across Zigrosser‘s name. The son of an Austrian Emigrant, Zigrosser worked at the Philadelphia Museum of Art as an expert on printed graphic art. Wolf asked Zigrosser for advice on the best way to frame his application. Moreover, he asked advice on which of his prints would be most compelling to send along with the application. He was having difficulty deciding between a group of graphics about his exile home in New York or Bible illustrations. But he was also thinking about creating something completely new. He had remembered an old dream, which he suggested to Zigrosser - illustrations for the stories of One Thousand and One Nights.
The art historian responded to the request with a friendly, but vague reply. He advised Wolf to submit the works which were most important to him. He did not mention the One Thousand and One Nights project at all. That project remained the rest of his life what he had called it in his 1941 letter - a dream.