UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

System Number: 05951
Date: 27 February 1899
Author: Antonio Fradeletto^[1]
Place: Venice
Recipient: JW
Place: [Paris]
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler V40
Document Type: ALS

[Crest with lion of St Mark on a shield and inscription:] ESPOSIZIONE INTERNAZIONALE ARTISTICA VENEZIA^[2]

Venise,

le 27 février '99.

Cher Maître,

J'ai le plaisir de m'adresser à vous en voie tout-à-fait confidentielle. Mr le Maire de Venise^[3] vous prie de vouloir bien accepter d'être l'un des membres de notre Commission d'examen pour l'admission des oeuvres. L'autorité de votre nom est si grande que vous nous [p. 2] rendriez par là un service bien remarquable. Il suffirait que vous vous trouviez à Venise pour le 3 d'Avril. En trois ou quatre jours, tout-au-plus, la besogne pourrait être achevée.

Tous les frais de voyage et de séjour à Venise seront, naturellement, à notre charge.

Lorsque j'aurai reçu votre réponse, que je souhaite favorable, [p. 3] Mr. le Maire aura l'honneur de vous écrire directement, en voie officielle.

Veuillez, je vous prie, me répondre au plus tôt possible, par lettre recommandée, et veuillez aussi écrire sur l'enveloppe le mot italien "personale"

Nous attendons anxieusement des renseignements définitifs sur votre Exposition, à laquelle nous tenons infiniment.

Tout-à-vous, cher Maître,

A. Fradeletto

This document is protected by copyright.

Translation:

Dear Master,

I have the pleasure of addressing you in an absolutely confidential way. The Mayor of Venice begs you to agree to be one of the members of our examining Commission for the admission of works. The authority of your name is so great that you would be doing us a remarkable favour in this way. You would just have to be in Venice for the 3rd of April. In three or four days, at the most, the task could be finished.

Naturally, we will cover all the expenses of your journey and stay in Venice.

When I have received your reply, which I am hoping will be favourable, the Mayor will have the honour of writing to you personally, in an official context.

Please, I beg you, answer me as soon as possible, by registered post, and please also write on the envelope the Italian word "personale"

We are anxiously awaiting finalised information on your Exhibition, to which is extremely important to us.

Yours entirely, dear Master,

A. Fradeletto

Notes:

1.  Antonio Fradeletto
Antonio Fradeletto (1858-1930), literary historian, art critic and writer, radical politician, and general secretary of the Venice Biennale [more].

2.  VENEZIA
3rd Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte della Città di Venezia,Venice, 1899.

3.  Maire de Venise
Comte Filippo Grimani (1850-1921), Mayor of Venice, President of the Internation Art Exhibition of the City of Venice [more]. JW was not able to visit Venice and take part in the selection of works for the exhibition.