Documents associated with: Exhibition of Pastels, Grosvenor Gallery, London, 1888
Record 2 of 8
System Number: 08003
Date: [September 1888?][1]
Author: JW
Place: [France?]
Recipient: Charles James Whistler Hanson[2]
Place: [London]
Repository: Library of Congress
Call Number: Manuscript Division, Pennell-Whistler Collection, PWC 1/43/6
Document Type: ALS
If Grau[3] has finished the frames, tell William[4] to Take them and the pastels[5], yourself
as they are in[6] their old frames to Sparks[7] at the Dowdeswells[8], who is to take them out one by one, and reframe each in its new frame - The pastels are not[9] to be "laid down", that is pasted right down on to card board as he has lately done others for me, when I was there to retouch them but to be mounted on a hinge - like as he does the etchings - Of course the cardboard will be cut to fit the new frame - and the pastel itself will fit exactly the "sight" - of the frame - [p. 2] He will find the marks of the sight, and the brown paper will of course extend beyond, behind the fame - However he will understand all this -
I take all this precaution because I am not there - and in fear that the pastel might get a little rubbed or dimmed were the drawings "laid down" - If however Sparks is sure that they will not be altered one bit, then he may lay them down - for I know they would look all the more solid, and fit their frames better and appear smarter if they were "laid down" -
In short I should really like them to be "laid down" but I scarcely dare from this distance to give the order - You had better talk this over with Sparkes [sic] yourself without bothering before the Dowdeswell [sic] who might fidget in the matter - and you could be there while Sparkes [sic] tried the lying down of one of the simplest of the lot, and see if it were absolutely unchanged before he goes on - In that case nothing Sparkes must say nothing about it, or the people would always believe or say that the pastels had been harmed - /
Now - if Grau is behind hand you must tell Deschamps[10] about it - that is all -
If they wont wait at the Gallery, well then they wont have them, that's all! - and then they need not be taken out of their present frames [p. 3] until I get back -
Your letters are getting very unsatisfactory - What of Roussel[11]? Why does he not write? Why have you not given me your address? -
I will send cheque for William with Wünderlichs[12] for the Bank tomorrow -
I couldn't register this now -
J McN. Whistler
This document is protected by copyright.
Notes:
1. [September 1888?]
Dated by reference to framing of pastels for exhibition (see below).
2. Charles James Whistler Hanson
Charles James Whistler Hanson (1870-1935), engineer, son of JW and Louisa Fanny Hanson [more].
3. Grau
Frederick H. Grau (d. 1894/1895), picture framer [more].
4. William
William Bell, JW's secretary [more].
5. pastels
For Exhibition of Pastels, Grosvenor Gallery, London, 1888 (see also #08810).
6. as they are in
Double underlined.
7. Sparks
Nathaniel Sparks (1880-1956), printer and etcher [more].
8. Dowdeswells
C. W. or one of his sons, Charles and Walter Dowdeswell, of Dowdeswell and Dowdeswell, art dealers.
9. not
Double underlined.
10. Deschamps
Charles William Deschamps (1848-1908), art dealer [more].
11. Roussel
Theodore Roussel (1847-1926), painter and print-maker [more].
12. Wünderlichs
Hermann Wunderlich (ca 1839 - d.1892), print dealer [more].