Composition

It was probably in February 1887 that Whistler, then President of the Society of British Artists, was in discussions with the Society regarding the possibility of a retrospective exhibition. However, when he was forced to resign as president, the idea of an exhibition was abandoned. This list, possibly sent to Horace Henry Cauty (1846-1909), gave the misspelt names and addresses of several private collectors, plus, in this case, a rough sketch of Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks [YMSM 047]. The relevant section reads:

[p. 1] 'Ask for all my pictures -

Write to ...

Leithard [sic] - somewhere about Newcastle Lange Lize girl painting.'

[p. 2, drawing] 1

Purple and Rose: The Lange Leizen of the Six Marks was then owned by James Leathart (1820-1895), and was exhibited in Newcastle in 1887.

Similar notepaper was used for Interior of the British Artists exhibition [M.1123] and Interior of the British Artists exhibition [M.1124], which also involve paintings that Whistler planned to exhibit at the Suffolk Street galleries of the Society of British Artists.

Conservation History

The letter was written in black ink and pencil on the first side, and the drawing is in pencil, rather rubbed, on the verso. The sheet was folded twice more, and the folds are dirty.