UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

System Number: 09500
Date: [28] February [1899]^[1]
Author: JW
Place: Paris
Recipient: Filippo Grimani^[2]
Place: Venice
Repository: Archivo Storico della Arti Contemporanee della Biennale di Venezia, Venice
Call Number: Fondo Storico, Serie Autografi; FS. Serie Scatola Nera 8
Document Type: ALS

To
The most worshipful, the Mayor of Venice -
Signor Grimani, President of the Exhibition -

Signor -

Believe me deeply touched, by the kind feeling of personal friendliness, that I venture to connect with the generous terms of the noble Invitation^[3] you have addressed to me -

Never was higher compliment paid to painter! -

And I would beg, through You, to convey to the Gentlemen of the Council, my very great sense of the rare distinction conferred by the expression of Sympathy on the part of the Official Representatives of their marvellous City the Sapphire of the Seas! -

[butterfly signature]

[p. 2] I had hoped to have visited You, and, myself, have tendered my Respects, and my Acknowledgements - but a hurried journey to Italy^[4], was prematurely brought to a close - and I found it, this time, impossible to reach You -

I have been, as yet unable to give more satisfactory assurances concerning the pictures^[5] asked for - but hope, before the limit of time be exhausted, to overcome most difficulties.

Meanwhile, I think well to suggest that the Owners of the pictures would wish formal letters of application from the Secretary of Your Committee -

And I have the honour to be,
Most worshipped Signor,
Your most obedient Servant

J. McNeill Whistler.

[110.] Rue du Bac -
Paris

Feb. 1899 -

This document is protected by copyright.

Notes:

1.  [28] February [1899]
Dated by Grimani's reply to JW, 4 March 1899, #04953.

2.  Filippo Grimani
Comte Filippo Grimani (1850-1921), Mayor of Venice, President of the Internation Art Exhibition of the City of Venice [more].

3.  Invitation
Grimani had asked JW to lend Blue and Coral: The Little Blue Bonnet (YMSM 500), Grey and Silver: La Petite Souris (YMSM 502), At the Piano (YMSM 24), La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine (YMSM 50) and Rose and Brown: The Philosopher (YMSM 472) to the 3rd Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte della Città di Venezia,Venice, 1899 (8 February 1899, #05949).

4.  Italy
JW visited Rome for the marriage of William Heinemann (1863-1920), publisher [more], and Magda Sindici on 22 February 1899.

5.  pictures
Several pictures were not available, J. J. Cowan, for instance, was unable to lend his paintings because they were already committed, but William Burrell lent La Princesse du pays de la porcelaine (YMSM 50), Walford Graham Robertson (1867-1948), painter, designer and collector [more] agreed to lend Crepuscule in Flesh Colour and Green: Valparaiso (YMSM 73), and W. C. Alexander agreed to lend Harmony in Grey and Green: Miss Cicely Alexander (YMSM 129) but it does not appear in the catalogue of the exhibition.