System Number: 04000
Date: 10 January 1893
Author: Howard Mansfield[1]
Place: New York
Recipient: JW
Place: [Paris]
Repository: Glasgow University Library
Call Number: MS Whistler M271
Document Type: ALS
35 WALL STREET.
January 10, 1893.
My dear Mr. Whistler;
Mr. Halsey C. Ives[2], Chief of the Department of Fine Arts of the Chicago exhibition, called on me some weeks ago with regard to showing a selection of your etchings at the exhibition. Since then I have received from Mr. Freer[3] copies of the circulars and rules governing the Department of Fine Arts. It seems from these that all works of art must be approved by a jury of selection [p. 2] before they can be admitted for exhibition; but I cannot imagine that any works of yours which you care to have exhibited and for which space can be secured will fail of the necessary approval.
Mr. Ives thought that space for about fifty of your etchings could be had, and Mr. Freer and I hope to obtain a positive assignment of as much as that.
We assume, of course, that you will exhibit as an American artist, in view of your correspondence with Mr. [p. 3] Breck[4], if for no other reason.
The list I have made already reaches beyond fifty, and there should be added, of course, some of the new Paris etchings. Here is my list, on which I would like your comments with expression of preferences
[first column:][5] Unsafe Tenement,
-[6] Kitchen,
- Greenwich Park. 2d state
Tyzac Whitely & Co.
Black Lion Wharf
Longshoremen,
Limeburner,
Arthur,
Becquet
Astruc
Fumette Standing
Whistler
Drouet
Rotherhite [sic]
Mr. Mann,
Axenfeld
Riault,
Forge
Joe
- Ross Winans
- The Storm
[second column:][7] - Hotel Lallement
Chancellerie
Mairie
Hotel de Ville
Zaandam
Pierrot
Balcony
Mill.
[third column:][8] Weary,
- Speke Hall -
Fanny Leyland
- The Dam Wood -
- Maude
Guitar Player
x Free Trade Wharf -
Battersea Dawn
The Pool
Battersea Bridge
- Putney Bridge
Little Putney. No. 3.
Palaces
Doorway last state
Nocturne Riva
Two Doorways
Beggars -
San Giorgio -
- Furnace Nocturne
Nocturne Palaces
x Dyer.
Little Sweet Shop
Clothes Exchange No. 2
Palace, Brussells [sic]
[added in left margin:] Cameo. No. 1.[9]
Longhouse - / [illegible] Street
Bébé Valentin
" Lalouette
Annie Haden, dry pt.
[added in right margin:] "Traghetto" -
Barbershop
[p. 4] I scarcely know what to leave out, in case all named cannot be exhibited for want of space. So, unless you express your preferences, you will have to trust your friends here to determine, what shall be shown - so far as they can have their way in the matter.
My plan is to borrow from Mr. Freer, Mr. Avery[10], Mr. Havemeyer[11] and Mr. Vanderbilt[12] the best obtainable impressions, making up the selection from my own collection. And I hope to be able to go to Chicago with the etchings and to see to their framing and hanging, although I cannot tell if I can command the time.
Trusting that I shall hear from you in the matter soon, and wishing to be cordially remembered to Mrs. Whistler[13],
I am
Yours faithfully
Howard Mansfield.
Mr. J. McNeill Whistler.
This document is protected by copyright.
Notes:
1. Howard Mansfield
Howard Mansfield (1849-1938), New York lawyer, print collector [more].
2. Mr. Halsey C. Ives
Halsey Cooley Ives (1847-1911), painter [more]. He was organising art works for World's Columbian Exposition, Department of Fine Arts, Chicago, 1893.
3. Mr. Freer
Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919), industrialist, collector and founder of the Freer Gallery of Art [more].
4. Breck
Breck, possibly an official at the World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago.
5. [first column:]
Unsafe Tenement (K.17), The Kitchen (K.24a), Greenwich Park (K.35), Eagle Wharf (K.41), Black Lion Wharf (K.42), Longshormen (K.45), Arthur Haden (K.61), Becquet (K.52), Bibi Lalouette (K.51), Astruc, a literary man (K.53), Fumette, Standing (K.56), Drouet (K.55), Rotherhithe (K.66), Mr.Mann (K.63), Axenfeld (K.64), Riault, the Engraver (K.65), The Forge (K.68), Jo (K.77), Ross Winans (K.88), The Storm (K.81).
6. -
All dashes and 'x's added to the lists of artworks are by JW in pencil.
7. Cameo. No. 1.
All added titles on the lists of artworks are by JW in pencil: 'Cameo .., Haden, dry pt.' were written in the left margin, 'Traghetto' and 'Barbershop' in the right. The first group are Cameo No.1 (Mother and Child) (K.347), Long House - Dyer's - Amsterdam (K.406), Bibi Valentin (K.50), Annie Haden (K.62); the right hand group, The Traghetto, No.1 (K.190) and The Barber's (K.271).
8. [second column:]
Hotel Lallement, Bourges (K.399), Chancellerie, Loches (K.383), Hotel de Ville, Loches (K.384), Zaandam (K.416), Pierrot (K.407), Balcony, Amsterdam (K.405), The Mill (K.413).
9. [third column:]
Weary (K.92), Speke Hall, No.1 (K.96), Fanny Leyland (K.108), The Dam Wood (K.145), Maude, Standing (K.114), The Guitar Player (K.140), Free Trade Wharf (K.163a), Battersea: Dawn (K.155), The Pool (K.43), Old Battersea Bridge (K.177), Old Putney Bridge (K.178),The Little Putney, No.1 (K.179a) The Palaces (K.187), The Doorway (K.188), either Nocturne (K.184) or Nocturne: Salute (K.226), The Two Doorways (K.193), The Beggars (K.194), San Giorgio (K.201), Nocturne: Furnace (K.213), Nocturne: Palaces (K.202), The Dyer (K.219), Village Sweet-shop (K.251), Clothes-Exchange, No.2 (K.288), Palaces, Brussels (K.361), The Traghetto, No.1 (K.190),
10. Mr. Avery
Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904), print-publisher, collector and philanthropist [more].
11. Mr. Havemeyer
Henry Havemeyer (1847-1907), collector [more].
12. Mr. Vanderbilt
George Washington Vanderbilt (1862-1914), collector [more].
13. Mrs. Whistler
Beatrix Whistler (1857-1896), née Beatrice Philip, artist [more].