UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

System Number: 09244
Date: [20/26 January 1888]^[1]
Author: JW
Place: [London]
Recipient: Octave Maus^[2]
Place: [Brussels]
Repository: Archives de l'Art Contemporain en Belgique, Musées royaux des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, Bruxelles
Call Number: Fonds Vander Linden, archives Octave Maus, 5076-7
Document Type: ALS

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My dear Mr. Maus -

I fear I have already forgotten all my French! - so you must forgive -

Je vous envoie à la hate, ci-inclus la feuille de papier preparé! -

Comme vous voyez il y a ma signature, adresse, et en fait d'ornamentation, le papillon.

Le reste je ne puis pas à, la minute, [p. 2] y ajouter - C'est à dire je ne suis pas encore certain des titres -

Mais cela ne ferait que mieux dans le catalogue -

Vous auriez le nom - etc - en autographe, et puis les intitulés des tableaux en imprimé -

Votre lettre^[3] ne m'est arrivée qu'aujourdhui! et je n'ai guerre un moment pour attraper le courier de ce soir -

J'ai pourtout bien des choses à vous dire - car votre lettre est charmante -

Vous pouvez du reste vous imaginer combien j'ai été occupé par les affaires de cette Societé^[4]! et même maintenant je ne sais pas encore comment je vais pouvoir vous arriver à temps -

Je tâcherai [p. 3] de venir vous voir au moment de l'ouverture -

Tout à vous

[butterfly signature]

[p. 4]
J. Mc. Neill Whistler.
President
Royal Society of British Artists.
London.

[butterfly signature]

Note en Noir^[5] -
Note en Blue et Argent -
Note en ....
...
...
en imprimé, relativement petit ... etc. - et à peu pres à cette place dans la page -

[p. 5] [Pen sketch^[6] showing his desired arrangement of his works, numbered:]

        No 1. 
    8            4.
5.                    8.
    7.           6.
        No 2.

Mon panneau, si bon vous semble? -

This document is protected by copyright.

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Translation:

I am now sending you in haste, enclosed, the completed sheet of paper! -

As you see there is my signature, address, and by way of illustration, the butterfly.

For the moment I cannot add the rest - That is to say I am not yet certain of the titles -

But that will only be better in the catalogue -

You would have the name - etc - as autograph, and then the titles of the pictures in print -

Your letter only arrived today! and I hardly have a moment to catch the post this evening

I have nonetheless many things to tell you - for your letter is charming -

You can moreover imagine how busy I have been with the affairs of this Society! and even now I do not know how I am going to be able to arrive for you in time -

I shall try to come and see you at the opening -

Yours

[...] in print, relatively small ... etc. - and at about this place on the page

[...] My panel, if you agree? -

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Notes:

1.  [20/26 January 1888]
Dated from a letter from O. Maus to JW, #05490, and exhibition catalogue (see notes below). This letter must not be published in any form without the prior written consent of the owner.

2.  Octave Maus
Octave Maus (1856-1919), advocate, writer and art critic [more]. This letter concerns [Exhibition], Société des XX (Vingts), Brussels, 1888. JW sent eight works to the exhibition, including four etchings, two oils and two pastels. The works included Arrangement in Black and Brown: The Fur Jacket (YMSM 181) and St.James's Place, Houndsditch (K.290). JW was anxious that the titles of his works should be quoted correctly in the catalogue. In 1886, when JW, with Maus's assistance, had sent Arrangement in Black: Portrait of Señor Pablo de Sarasate (YMSM 315) to the 104th exhibition, Ouvrages de peinture, sculpture, architecture, gravure et lithographie des artistes vivants, Palais des Champs Elysées, Paris, 1886, the painting inadvertently appeared as 'Portrait' in the catalogue (cat. no. 2450), much to JW's annoyance. Unfortunately the full title did not appear in the catalogue of [Exposition], Société des XX (Vingts), Brussels, 1886. See also Maus's reply, #05490.

3.   lettre
Perhaps O. Maus to JW, #05489.

4.  cette Societé
JW was elected President of the Society, later the Royal Society of British Artists, on 1 June 1886.

5.  Note en Noir
This note relates to the listing in the catalogue of JW's works for the Les XX exhibition. It may relate to Arrangement in Black: Reading (YMSM 224) and Bleu et argent: La Mer, Jersey (YMSM 232a).

6.  pen sketch
The sketch shows the eight works submitted, some single and some double hung, amongst which Arrangement in Black and Brown: The Fur Jacket (YMSM 181) is identifiable as the upright in the centre, with Nocturne: Black and Gold - The Fire Wheel (YMSM 169) underneath it.