Letter from Roland F. Knoedler to Henry Clay Frick, 16 December 1896
Scripto
Transcription
M. KNOEDLER & CO.,
SUCCESSORS TO GOUPIL & CO.,
355 FIFTH AVENUE,
NEW YORK.
CABLE ADDRESSES.
KNOEDLER _ NEW YORK.
KNOEDLER _ PARIS.
PARIS OFFICE, 2 RUE GLÜCK.
Dec. 16th 1896
Dear Mr. Frick,
I am in receipt of your favor of the 15th inst. I regret that you did not have time to drop in on Monday as I always like to see you if only for a few moments.
What you say concerning terms of the Chartran portrait of
President Elect McKinley to be painted without charge for the Carnegie Art Gallery are perfectly correct - the only
thing I see that could be added is that I understood Chartran
to say that besides exhibiting the picture here in our Gallery and probably at the Paris Salon of 1897 is that he would like to have a reproduction made of it in photogravure or some other process but should you object I know he will abide by whatever you say - in fact he wanted me to thank you most heartily for your kind interest in the matter and authorized
me to say that you had "carte blanche." He has been speaking to me about this portrait since last summer. He says that he will make a great success of it and that the exhibiting of it will do him an immense amount of good and more than compensate him for the time spent on doing it. The whole thing would be perfect if the sittings could be had soon by the end of the year if possible as the best time for Chartran to have his exhibition would be about the 10th of January. If necessary and if I can spare the time I would like to accompany Chartran to Canton where I suppose the portrait would have to be painted.
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[begin page 2 of 2]
The scheme you have conceived to decide the Major is excellent & I do not see how he can say no especially coming from you. I do not think there is a crowned head in Europe who would not accept a similar proposition coming from Chartran but evidently the President-Elect is not familiar
with our friend's works - after it is finished he will be under further obligations to you! The Major does not know how quickly Chartran paints & how little of his valuable time will be taken. This whole matter will be treated confidentially as
requested.
Did I not understand you to say that we were to hear from Mr. Pitcairn about a portrait. My impression was that you
telephoned that you were to see him or his wife? Please accept my personal thanks for all the trouble this matter is giving you and with kind remembrances to the ladies believe me
Very sincerely yours
Roland F. Knoedler
H. C. Frick Esq
Carnegie Bldg.
Pittsburgh
P. S. Did you get a notice from the Ostend Club asking to
continue to be a member, dues to be paid only if you make
use of the Club? Do you think we will go there again?
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SUCCESSORS TO GOUPIL & CO.,
355 FIFTH AVENUE,
NEW YORK.
CABLE ADDRESSES.
KNOEDLER _ NEW YORK.
KNOEDLER _ PARIS.
PARIS OFFICE, 2 RUE GLÜCK.
Dec. 16th 1896
Dear Mr. Frick,
I am in receipt of your favor of the 15th inst. I regret that you did not have time to drop in on Monday as I always like to see you if only for a few moments.
What you say concerning terms of the Chartran portrait of
President Elect McKinley to be painted without charge for the Carnegie Art Gallery are perfectly correct - the only
thing I see that could be added is that I understood Chartran
to say that besides exhibiting the picture here in our Gallery and probably at the Paris Salon of 1897 is that he would like to have a reproduction made of it in photogravure or some other process but should you object I know he will abide by whatever you say - in fact he wanted me to thank you most heartily for your kind interest in the matter and authorized
me to say that you had "carte blanche." He has been speaking to me about this portrait since last summer. He says that he will make a great success of it and that the exhibiting of it will do him an immense amount of good and more than compensate him for the time spent on doing it. The whole thing would be perfect if the sittings could be had soon by the end of the year if possible as the best time for Chartran to have his exhibition would be about the 10th of January. If necessary and if I can spare the time I would like to accompany Chartran to Canton where I suppose the portrait would have to be painted.
[end page 1 of 2]
[begin page 2 of 2]
The scheme you have conceived to decide the Major is excellent & I do not see how he can say no especially coming from you. I do not think there is a crowned head in Europe who would not accept a similar proposition coming from Chartran but evidently the President-Elect is not familiar
with our friend's works - after it is finished he will be under further obligations to you! The Major does not know how quickly Chartran paints & how little of his valuable time will be taken. This whole matter will be treated confidentially as
requested.
Did I not understand you to say that we were to hear from Mr. Pitcairn about a portrait. My impression was that you
telephoned that you were to see him or his wife? Please accept my personal thanks for all the trouble this matter is giving you and with kind remembrances to the ladies believe me
Very sincerely yours
Roland F. Knoedler
H. C. Frick Esq
Carnegie Bldg.
Pittsburgh
P. S. Did you get a notice from the Ostend Club asking to
continue to be a member, dues to be paid only if you make
use of the Club? Do you think we will go there again?
[end page 2 of 2]
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Citation
“Letter from Roland F. Knoedler to Henry Clay Frick, 16 December 1896,” Transcribe Frick, accessed April 25, 2024, https://transcribe.frick.org/items/show/545.