Documents associated with: 3rd Internationale Kunst-Ausstellung, Munich, 1888
Record 8 of 53
System Number: 04200
Date: 3 April 1888
Author: Robert Koehler[1]
Place: Munich
Recipient: JW
Place: [London]
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler M470
Document Type: ALS
AMERICAN ARTISTS' CLUB.
BARER ST. 76.
MUNICH,
April 3d 1888
Mr. J. McNeill Whistler;
Dear Sir:
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your kind letter[2] of March 31st, from which I learn that you have already agreed to exhibit[3] some of your work in the section for England, to be arranged by Herr Papperitz[4]. This news was a great disappointment to our Committee; in-as-much as we are making every effort to collect the best available works by American artists, we do not see how we can well allow those of our most illustrious countrymen to cast glory upon another department while taking it away from our own. I learn from Mr. Abbey[5], that you intend sending a number of your works, and I have no doubt that Herr Papperitz would [p. 2] allow one or more to go into our section, upon request, but this would hardly serve our purpose: we should have, if not all, at least those which you would yourself consider the most important. The Committee therefor[e] directs me to request you to designate the works you would prefer to exhibit in our section, provided you did not feel at liberty to give us the entire collection, which, in view of our having taken the first steps to secure your representation by causing the "invitation personelle" to be sent, you may, without fear of appearing discourteous to Herr Papperitz, decide to do.
This being, to my knowledge, the first introduction of your work to the German public, we feel our request the more justified, and we do most sincerely hope that you will not hesitate to [p. 3] inform us of your favorable decision, in anticipation of which
I have the honor to be
Your most obedient servant
Robert Koehler
for the American Committee.
27 Gabelsberger St.
Munich.
[p. 4][6]
This document is protected by copyright.
Notes:
1. Robert Koehler
Robert Koehler (1850-1917), painter and etcher [more].
2. kind lettter
Untraced.
3. exhibit
This letter relates to the 3rd Internationale Kunst-Austellung, Munich, 1888 which opened in July 1888. JW sent a large group of works - thirteen oils, twenty watercolours, seven pastels and thirty etchings. The oils included Arrangement in Black: La Dame au brodequin jaune - Portrait of Lady Archibald Campbell (YMSM 242) and Harmony in Grey and Green: Miss Cicely Alexander (YMSM 129). Arrangement in Grey and Black: Portrait of the Painter's Mother (YMSM 101) was awarded a second-class gold medal.
4. Herr Papperitz
Fritz Georg Papperitz (1846-1918), history, genre and portrait painter [more]. In his reply dated 11 April, #09178, JW expressed his desire to be in the American section but objected to any division of his works between the British and American sections. Although he consented to having all of his works removed to the American section, space had already been arranged by Papperitz in the British section and thus they remained there (see R. Koehler to JW, #04205).
5. Mr. Abbey
Edwin Austin Abbey (1852-1911), painter and illustrator [more].
6. [p. 4]
This sheet is of squared paper with various pencil doodles.