Documents associated with: Exhibition of International Art, International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, London, 1898
Record 20 of 87
System Number: 02302
Date: 19 April 1898
Author: Albert Ludovici[1]
Place: London
Recipient: JW
Place: [Paris]
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler I42
Document Type: ALS
STUDIO,
105 CHARLOTTE STREET,
FITZROY SQUARE, W.
April 19th 1898 -
My dear Whistler -
I hope you have received my letter[2] last night, it did not I am sure half express, all that I felt, after hearing your beautifully written letter[3] read out in a dull sort of way before the meeting, and am sorry that I was unable to write to you the next day -
Please thank Miss Philip[4] for writing to me, your wishes - which only confirm me in the role I am playing at the meetings as I have all the time "kept low", and sometimes make the others feel a little uncomfortable as they do not know how much I know, and do not [p. 2] always know what foot to dance upon, with me! especially after my return from Paris, I am delighted that you have secured the execution picture by Manet[5] - and am sure that the others will also be pleased, for I mentioned it to them at the meeting before last, and they all expressed a desire of hanging it at the coming show - as I stated in my last, I wrote to our agent[6] on Saturday and he must have received my letter on Sunday as I wrote to his private address - but perhaps was not able to get round to Durand Ruel's[7] before Monday morning - I told him to arrange everything about packing and insurance - and to let me know if there is anything special - I give you his address in case you may want to communicate with him
Monsieur G. Guesuse
16. Rue du Petit Thouars -
- Paris -
[p. 3] my private address is -
27. St. Augustines Road -
Camden Square
- N. W -
I have written to Thaulow[8] - for six pictures - also to Claude Monet[9], but that was last week, before receiving your letters. I have called on Wimbush[10] but he was out, will try and see him again - I hear that W. Sickert[11] has a big figure at the New English - which they say is very poor - more like a poster - and made a fuss because it was hung near the door - the Admiral[12] does not speak to me now about M. M[13] - he has been busy last week entertaining his Friend - G. Clemençeau[14] from Paris - Pennell[15] has written to Mrs Edwards[16] - about F-Latour[17], and had favourable answers - from various people possessing drawings and engravings by celebrated Frenchmen - all of which will help to make the Exhibition very strong - I am surprised to see how little the Secretary - who I thought had a press connection - advertises the Show - we told him last meeting to take care and have, paragraphs in all the papers, on the different phases - or working of the Show - on what was coming etc and in fact anything to create public curiosity [p. 4] especially as, the Earls Court Company are getting up a rival Exhibition of International Art - with a committee of Associates and Academicians such as David Murray[18] - and little Story[19]. Pennell suggested at the last meeting - that the opening of our Show should be preceded by a banquet - with all the Ambassadors - and Royalty - to sit down to it.?? - - Mr Farquh[a]rson[20] has not appeared at the last two meetings, nothing was decided as to the next, probably not before the end of the month - just before the arrival of work. I'm reading Miss Philip's letter again, I find something about space for foreigners - At the meeting before last - when I mentioned, your objection to names on the list, I told them that you thought it would be more interesting to have Frenchmen's work - in greater quantity if possible, than a lot of English and Scotch mediocrities - so they said that the Dealer Vollard[21], so writes Guesuse the agent, "n'est pas très emballé pour notre exposition[22]["], and has sold the nature morte - by Césanne[23] - I hope he will not fail to send us the 54 - coloured lithographs that he promised - I am writing to Agent about him - and Bonnard[24] has not answered[25] -
all foreign work would be sure of having a place in the Exhibition, and if they found it necessary they would eliminate, or return Home pictures although invited, as not being quite good enough - I have just received a letter from Agent in Paris, who has settled with Durand Ruel to collect on Friday - pictures promised - as well as others - everybody has been written to, it seems - about the days for collecting - I think I have given you all the news I possess, and suppose that you have heard from Howard[26] and Lavery[27]
with kind regards to Mrs[28] and Miss Philip
bien sincèrement à vous
A. Ludovici
This document is protected by copyright.
Notes:
1. Albert Ludovici
Albert Ludovici, Jr (1852-1932), painter [more], Council member of the recently formed International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers.
2. my letter
A. Ludovici to JW, 16 April 1898, #02301.
3. your beautifully written letter
JW to John Lavery and the Committee of the ISSPG, 17 April 1898, #02342.
4. Miss Philip
Rosalind Birnie Philip (1873-1958), JW's sister-in-law [more].
5. Manet
Edouard Manet (1832-1883), painter [more]. The Execution of the Emperor Maximilian was the centrepiece of the Exhibition of International Art, International Society of Sculptors, Painters and Gravers, London, 1898.
6. our agent
G. Guesuse or Guésun, picture agent.
7. Durand Ruel's
Paul Durand-Ruel (1828 or 1831-1922), Paris art dealer, or one of his sons, Joseph (1862-1928), Charles (1865-1892) or Georges (1866-1931).
8. Thaulow
Fritz Thaulow (1847-1906), painter, printmaker and author [more].
9. Claude Monet
Claude Monet (1840-1926), artist [more].
10. Wimbush
Henry B. Wimbush (1861-1910), artist [more], or John L. Wimbush (ca 1852- d.1914), figurative painter [more].
11. W. Sickert
Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942), artist and writer on art [more], was exhibiting with the New English Art Club.
12. the Admiral
Admiral Friedrich ('Frederick') Augustus Maxse (1833-1900), political writer [more], was proprietor of the Prince's Rink Skating Club where the ISSPG held its exhibition in May 1898.
13. M. M
Mortimer Luddington Menpes (1860-1938), artist [more].
14. G. Clemençeau
Georges Clémenceau (1841-1929), politician [more].
15. Pennell
Joseph Pennell (1860-1926), printer and illustrator, JW's biographer [more].
16. Mrs Edwards
Elizabeth Ruth Edwards (ca 1833 - d.1907), née Enscombe, wife of Edwin Edwards [more]. She was Fantin-Latour's agent.
17. F-Latour
Ignace-Henri-Jean-Théodore Fantin-Latour (1836-1904), artist [more].
18. David Murray
David Murray (1849-1933), landscape painter [more].
19. Story
Possibly Thomas Waldo Story (1854-1915), sculptor [more].
20. Mr Farquh[a]rson
Joseph Farquharson (1846-1935), landscape painter [more].
21. Vollard
Vollard (ca 1867 - d.1939), art dealer and publisher [more].
22. n'est pas très emballé pour notre exposition
Fr., is not very enthusiastic about our exhibition.
23. Césanne
JW was not very keen on the painting by Paul Cézanne (1839-1906), painter [more]; see Ludovici, Albert, An Artist's Life in London and Paris 1870-1925, New York, 1926.
24. Bonnard
Pierre Bonnard (1867-1947), painter [more].
25. Howard
Francis Howard (1874-1954), painter, art critic and collector [more].
26. Lavery
John Lavery (1856-1941), painter [more], Vice-President of the ISSPG.
27. Mrs
Frances Philip (1824-1917), née Black, JW's mother-in-law [more].
28. not answered
'The Dealer ... not answered' is written in the left-hand margin at right angles to the main text.
29. A. Ludovici
'All foreign work ... A. Ludovici' is written in the left-hand margin on p. 1 at right angles to the main text.