UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

System Number: 09178
Date: 11 April 1888
Author: JW
Place: London
Recipient: Robert Koehler^[1]
Place: [Munich]
Repository: University of Minnesota, St Paul, MI
Call Number: Manuscripts Division, 213 Andersen Library
Document Type: MsLS^[2]

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'Arrived April 17 88^[3]'

[logo with crowned lion:] R. B. A.
THE / ROYAL SOCIETY OF BRITISH ARTISTS.

SUFFOLK STREET, PALL MALL,
LONDON

April 11 1888

Dear Sir -

Pray accept my thanks^{for your kind letter[4]} of April 3rd, and say from me to the Gentlemen of the Committee^[5], that I am greatly touched by their desire to have me among them on this important occasion -

Most certainly do I wish to be with my own Countrymen in the Exhibition - and if you do not feel that I shall abuse their hospitality by the number of my works - that is practically if you are of opinion that you can properly hang all that I am sending, I shall be only too pleased to place myself at your disposal. I am naturally proud to know that you take this interest in my work, and are willing to look upon it as of any importance in your collection.

I would beg you, however, to understand that it was quite clearly accepted by Mr Papperitz^[6] that I only sent at all, on condition that what I considered a representative assertion of my work, should in its entirity be be perfectly hung.

This they completely agreed to, and undertook to carry out.

They are therefore prepared to give excellent place to large and small paintings, water colours, pastels, and [over?] 40 etchings^[7].

If all this over burden your space, I trust you will have no hesitation in turning your back upon such intrusion.

If however you think it fair to my [p. 2] American Contempories that I should thus overrun your walls, and can really give these strange productions of mine a good show, be assured I shall be only too flattered to have been chosen by the Gentlemen of your Committee.

I certainly would most decidedly object to divide my exhibition - all should go together or you ^must have no hesitation in receiving none at all

And, I am
Dear Sir,
Your humble, obedient Servant.

J. McNeill. Whistler

To
Robert Koehler Esq
27 Gabelsberger St
Münich.

This document is protected by copyright.

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Envelope:

' Valuable letters by Whistler.^[8]'

To
Robert Koehler Esq
Secretary American Committee
International Exhibition
27 Gabelsberger St.
Münich
Bavaria
[stamp:] POSTAGE & REVENUE / 2 1/2 d
[postmark:] CHELSEA S.W. / 2 ZZ / AP 11 / 88

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Notes:

1.  Robert Koehler
Robert Koehler (1850-1917), painter and etcher [more].

2.  MsLS
Written in the hand of Charles James Whistler Hanson (1870-1935), engineer, son of JW and Louisa Fanny Hanson [more], who was then acting as JW's secretary, and signed by JW.

3.   'Arrived April 17 88'
Written in another hand.

4.  letter
See R. Koehler to JW, #04200.

5.  Gentlemen of the Committee
Members of the Committee of the American section of the 3rd Internationale Kunst-Austellung, Munich, 1888, which opened in July. 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).

6.  Mr Papperitz
Fritz Georg Papperitz (1846-1918), history, genre and portrait painter [more], who organised the British section at the exhibition.

7.  etchings
Only thirty etchings appear in the exhibition catalogue.

8.  'Valuable letters by Whistler.'
Written in another hand.