Sunday, April 27, 1873- Last Wednesday Gifford gave a charming dinner party in his studio. There were present Vaux & wife, Major Wilkinson & wife, Mary Gifford, her niece Edith Gifford, Sara, Miss Sterling, my wife and I. We had a most pleasant time as we always do at these studio dinners. After dinner they all came down to our rooms where we had ice cream and some songs from Miss Sterling. Thursday I went out for the first time since last Friday having suffered all this time with a refractory tooth. My picture "October in the Kaatskills" went to Mr. Moore's sale limited at $1,000 and frame. We had the Giffords all here at lunch including Mr. & Mrs. Gifford. Mrs. Blackburn called and I gave her the little sketch I painted for her. In the evening we went to a farewell party for Mrs. Joy at Mrs. Youmans. Friday I received a letter from Baltimore inquiring the price of my "November" in the Academy. It was from a dealer and I sent the price of $1250 and told them if they sold to retain $100. Maurice came down from home. He wanted to go to the theatre in the evening and urged me to go although my tooth troubled me a good deal. We went and saw David Garrick and Dundreary [married?] by Sothern. I was not as much struck with his Garrick as I expected to be. Miss Rogers has something in her face and manners charms me. I saw her in Pygmalion and liked her extremely. Saturday. Mr. George Chickering called on me. He seems a refined and charming gentleman and I enjoyed his visit exceedingly. He likes my picture better and better. Mr. Moore opened his collection this evening. I should have gone in spite of my swollen face only that we had tickets for Beethoven's 9th Symphony sent us and we went there instead. It was splendidly performed by Thomas's orchestra and the Haydn and Handel Society of Boston. Palmer the sculptor and his family sailed for Europe today as did Bradford and Mrs. Joy. My tooth after troubling me all night and indeed for the last ten days finally gathered and broke this morning to my intense relief. I went up to see Eastman Johnson and we had a long talk on the affairs of the Academy. He is waking up to the importance of doing something to arrest the apathy which prevails in regard to it. Out of over 80 Academicians only 20 are represented in the exhibition and the most of those very inadequately. I think something might be done if some one would make a move but I hesitate to get myself into so much work, for it will take downright hard work to revive interest among men who are, many of them, very selfish.
< Previous Entry | Next Entry >Have you ever wanted to see a handful of folders in a collection at the Archives of American Art, but you couldn't find the time to come to our DC reading room? Then the Archives of American Art’s Digitization on Demand service is for YOU!
Original material can be consulted by appointment in our Washington, D.C. Headquarters.
Copies of unrestricted microfilm materials can be obtained through one of our affiliated research centers.
Research and reference services provides help finding, accessing, and using the collections at the Archives of American Art.
