Documents associated with: 21st Autumn Exhibition of Pictures, Corporation of Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 1891
Record 7 of 21
System Number: 08198
Date: [13 August 1891][1]
Author: JW
Place: Liverpool
Recipient: David Croal Thomson[2]
Place: [London]
Repository: Library of Congress
Call Number: Manuscript Division, Pennell-Whistler Collection, PWC C/35/7
Document Type: ALS[3]
TELEGRAPHIC ADDRESS, -
"PICTURES, LIVERPOOL."
[Liverpool coat of arms, and motto:] DEUS NOBIS NEC OTIA FECIT
CITY OF LIVERPOOL,
WALKER ART GALLERY,
189
To Mr. Thomson -[4]
Dear Sir -
Your letter[5] has been forwarded to me here - The Counsel [sic] of the Exhibition[6] have requested me to lend them "The Fur Jacket"[7] for their Gallery -
Therefore will you kindly have it carefully packed and sent on here at once - as time presses - and the hanging is already well advanced -
The American gentleman I spoke of has I believe gone over to Paris for the time being - and it seems to me that perhaps your people over [there] might well find him out, and bring him to the two "Nocturnes"[8] - Doubtless indeed they know him - Mr. Leiter[9] (from Chicago I believe) and archimillionaire) [sic] - so that you should not have the vexation of haggling over the proper [p. 2] prices - Upon this you might write to me again -
Directly I come up to town I will see you about other matters - smaller works &c that I have been preparing for you - Meanwhile kindly let there be no time lost in getting down the Fur Jacket to the "Walker Art Gallery" Liverpool -
With many thanks for your kind attention
Faithfully yours
J McN. Whistler
[p. 2 (facing p. 1), date stamp:] GOUPIL & COMPANY / SUCCESSORS / BOUSSOD VALADON & CO. / 14 AUG. 91
This document is protected by copyright.
Notes:
1. [13 August 1891]
Dated by date stamp on receipt, which presumably was a day later.
2. David Croal Thomson
David Croal Thomson (1855-1930), art dealer [more], who replied on 14 August 1891, #05677.
3. ALS
Written in another hand at top of p. 2: 'Aug. 14, 1891'.
4. To Mr. Thomson -
The letter was written at right angles to the letterhead.
5. letter
Not located.
6. Exhibition
21st Autumn Exhibition of Pictures, Corporation of Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, 1891.
7. The Fur Jacket
JW had just arrived in Liverpool, to serve on the Hanging Committee of the exhibition at the Walker Art Gallery. The Goupil Gallery, the London base of Messrs Boussod, Valadon et Cie, had had JW's painting Arrangement in Black and Brown: The Fur Jacket (YMSM 181) on display since June. Painted in 1876, it had been exhibited recently in Amsterdam, in 1889, and also in Brussels, in 1890.
8. Nocturnes
Boussod, Valadon et Cie had work of JW's on display in Paris, including the two Nocturnes mentioned. These were probably Nocturne in Black and Gold: Entrance to Southampton Water (YMSM 179) and Nocturne: Blue and Gold - St Mark's, Venice (YMSM 213), which were in Goupil's at the time; but they could have been Nocturne: Black and Gold - The Fire Wheel (YMSM 169) and Nocturne in Black and Gold: The Falling Rocket (YMSM 170), which were returned by Graves to JW in London at about this time.
9. Mr. Leiter
Levi Ziegler Leiter (1834-1904), industrialist and collector [more], a partner in Marshall Field in Chicago, bought Rosy silver - The Pink Porch (M.1008); see #13083.