Documents associated with: 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Second Series, Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1886
Record 10 of 54
System Number: 08606
Date: [18 September 1885][1]
Author: JW
Place: Dieppe
Recipient: Charles William Dowdeswell[2]
Place: London
Repository: Library of Congress
Call Number: Rare Books and Manuscripts Division
Document Type: ALS
"Wanted to see you" too! and "as soon as possible" also! . - indeed I thought that long ago I should have heard your knock at my studio door - believing that curiosity at least would have brought you or sent Walter[3] to see how things were getting on! - especially after reading the paragraph in the 'World'[4] about the approaching show at ["]the Galleries of Mssrs [p. 2] Dowdeswell" - which I took for granted was at your own instigation, for I had not sent it in -
Besides all this also I want help - and so engrossed am I in the work[5], that I could n't run about to tell you so, or sit down to write you hoping that your own instinct would point out to you that while I slave as usual and put all the energy you know into the production of things for our combined success, I rely unhesitatingly upon your coming to my assistance directly I require it - or else where are we! -
Well I thought that in the "Arrangement in Gold"[6], it would [p. 3] be well to see sparkling here and there a little bit of blue sea, and so I rushed over here - and shall bring back, I think, what is wanted -
Of course money is now about over - and now my very dear Mr Dowdeswell you must put fifty pounds for me at once[7]!!! to my account at the London & County Bank - Covent Garden Branch - Henrietta St. Do this first - and we will talk about it afterwards when I get back - which will be in a few days now - for I can afford no more sea pieces - having lots of other matter -
[p. 4] Every thing will be lovely as usual -
Kindest things to all
Always
[butterfly signature]
Write a line to say that this is all right - address
Maison Goude -
21. Rue Sygogne -
Dieppe -
where I am staying with Sickert[8] of whom, for the moment, I greatly approve - ! -
This document is protected by copyright.
Envelope:
C. W. Dowdeswell Esq.133. New Bond Street.
London
Angleterre
[butterfly signature]
'[Woodruffs?] / McLaren.'[9]
[stamp:] [...] / 25 / [...][postmark x 2:] DIEPPE / SEINE-INFERIE[...] / 5E / 18 / SEPT / 85
Notes:
1. [18 September 1885]
Dated from the postmark.
2. Charles William Dowdeswell
Charles William Dowdeswell (1832-1915), art dealer [more].
3. Walter
Walter Dowdeswell (1858-1929), art dealer [more].
4. World
A London society paper. The 'paragraph' referred to may possibly have been a note which appeared in the 'What the World Says' column. Accoding to the report, Dowdeswell's had just published trial proofs of Waif by John Everett Millais (1829-1896), artist [more]. See 'Atlas', 'What the World Says', World, 9 September 1885, no. 584, p. 17.
5. work
JW painted several oils of sea and coastal subjects during his stay in Dieppe, including Arrangement in Pink, Red and Purple (YMSM 324), Coast Scene: Bathers (YMSM 326) and Grey and Brown: The Sad Sea Shore (YMSM 330).
6. Arrangement in Gold
Possibly a reference to JW's always precarious financial situation. It also points towards future exhibition plans. His exhibition 'Notes' - 'Harmonies' - 'Nocturnes', Second Series, Messrs Dowdeswell, London, 1886 opened in May 1886. The show was designed as an 'Arrangement in Brown and Gold'. JW showed seventy-five oils and works on paper.
7. once
Underlined several times.
8. Sickert
Walter Richard Sickert (1860-1942), artist and writer on art [more].
9. '[Woodruffs?] / McLaren.'
Added in another hand on the left.