Documents associated with: 1st Annual (International) Exhibition, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1896-1897
Record 2 of 2
System Number: 11724
Date: [2 July 1895][1]
Author: JW
Place: Paris
Recipient: Alexander Reid[2]
Place: Glasgow
Repository: Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Call Number: FGA Whistler 294
Credit Line: Charles Lang Freer Papers, Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Archives, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.: Gift of the Estate of Charles Lang Freer
Document Type: ALS
110. Rue du Bac - Paris -
Dear Mr. Reid -
My letter to you was registered by mistake - The man had been given two letters - and he registered the wrong one! - However I have since learned that the other arrived safely - so thats all right - though I daresay for the moment you were disappointed -
Well - I am glad [p. 2] you have done well with the Brodequine Jaune[3] - 6000 - dollars is £1200 - is n't it? -
You will have heard perhaps that the portrait[4] of myself belonging to Mr. Ionides[5] was sold the other day at Goupils (Mr Thomson[6]) for £700 -
He paid me £50 - for it - That is a look up for the two full lengths you still have - for my portrait, as you remember, was a half length - that is really a head with the shoulders and hand sketched in - 700 for the Furred Jacket[7] is therefore no longer the price! -
Why don't you write to Mr. Kennedy[8]? I think he could get between £1500, and 2000 in New York for it - Or you might send the pictures to Pittsburg[h] Pensylvania - There is to be a great exhibition[9] there, and the Managers have written to me to say that a huge sum of money has (a million dollars I think) has been given by Mr Carnegie[10] for the purchase of works of Art, and they want something of mine -
What is all this about other full lengths of mine being offered in the Boston market for much smaller prices? - What are [p. 3] the works? and did they buy them? -
Very faithfully Yrs
J McN Whistler
This document is protected by copyright.
Envelope:
To
Alexander Reid Esq
124 St. Vincent Street -
Glasgow -
Ecosse
[stamp:] 50 / REPUBLIQUE FRANCAISE
Notes:
1. [2 July 1895]
Dated from the postmark.
2. Alexander Reid
Alexander Reid (1854-1936), Glasgow dealer [more].
3. Brodequine Jaune
Arrangement in Black: La Dame au brodequin jaune - Portrait of Lady Archibald Campbell (YMSM 242).
4. portrait
Arrangement in Grey: Portrait of the Painter (YMSM 122), bought by George McCulloch (1848-1907), collector [more].
5. Mr. Ionides
Alexander ('Aleco') Ionides (1840-1898), businessman [more].
6. Mr Thomson
David Croal Thomson (1855-1930), art dealer [more].
7. Furred Jacket
Arrangement in Black and Brown: The Fur Jacket (YMSM 181).
8. Mr. Kennedy
Edward Guthrie Kennedy (1849-1932), dealer with H. Wunderlich and Co., New York [more].
9. exhibition
1st Annual (International) Exhibition, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, 1896-1897.
10. Mr Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), industrialist and philanthropist. The letter has not been located.