Tuesday April 3, 1883
Jervis McEntee Diary Entry, April 3, 1883, from the Jervis McEntee papers, 1850-1905, in the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution
Tuesday, Apr 3, 1883 The man who wants to buy my place was to call today, but did not. Sam Coykendall however called early in the forenoon, touched very lightly on the subject of our property, but talked about pictures and finally bought a little picture 12 x 14 I call "Sundown" as a wedding present for Minnie Cornell. He told me to sell my place if I could, that his wife did not want to go up on the hill and that they had about concluded to build where they are. Bradford came in in the afternoon and told me that Earl Grosvenor a son of the Duke of Westminster had bought my picture in the Academy "An Autumn Memory" for $1000 and he paid me the money in ten new crisp gold certificates for $100 each. How good they looked and what a power they possessed of lifting a load of anxieties. It was very kind of Bradford to take all that trouble for me for it was a trouble. He took him to the Academy on Sunday and showed him my picture and did all he could to sell it, and I am very grateful to him. The Earl intended to come to my room but he sails tomorrow and asked Bradford if I would not call on him at his hotel, that he would like to make my acquaintance and see me for a few minutes. Calvert had been in earlier to tell me that my figure picture "The Wintry River" was sold in the Academy and Wood told me later that he sold it for me to a Mr. Watson, I think, president of the Bank of Montreal for my full price $300. Mrs. Emerson called to see me. I told her it would be difficult for me to teach her anything as I was just now only painting on pictures which were well advanced but I would tell her anything I could. I am afraid I have got myself in a scrape and that she will trouble me, unintentionally, because she is a modest retiring woman, by my not being able in the least to help her. Marion, Julia and I went to the Academy. They were all glad to hear of my good luck, and when we came home from the Academy I went to the club and wrote to Sara of my good fortune.
< Previous Entry
|
Next Entry >