"All troublesome people shall be hanged or locked up or browbeaten and destroyed as they should be"- Autograph Letter to William Heinemann

Autograph letter with his distinctive butterfly signature from the important American artist to publisher William Heinemann. With original envelope postmarked Paris, November 3, 1892. Reporting that he was relieved to hear from Heinemann after his sudden departure, Whistler goes on: "it's all right it appears after all [...] and all troublesome people shall be hanged or locked up or browbeaten and destroyed as they should be..." He promises to ask his friend, writer Stéphane Mallarmé "if there is not some book published with details about the Bruant" and also mentions that he will send Heinemann "both the etching and the proof of the little lithograph of Mallarmé—it is charming." (Full text below.) 4 pp. on a small bifolium. Overall light toning; fold largely split, with another unfortunate large tear to the first page; overall good. 5.5 x 4.75 inches (13.7 x 12 cm).

Text, in full: "Hotel du Bon Lafonterie. We were so relieved, my dear Publisher, at receiving your letter - for naturally under the circumstances you sudden departure filled us with dismay! — I went over as soon as I could to find you—on the Wednesday I think in the evening, and the concierge told me to my dismay that you had gone! Well—it's all right it appears after all—and the great 'George the Unjust' will see you through, as I told you he would—and all troublesome people shall be hanged or locked up or browbeaten and destroyed as they should be—and life shall be pleasant and George shall continue — I shall tell Reid to write to you—and I will ask Mallarmé if there is not some book published with details about the Bruant. I have been awfully pressed for time with the portrait I am painting—but by the end of this week I will send you both the etching and the proof of the little lithograph of Mallarmé—it is charming. It may give you a new idea — Very nice & thoughtful of you to have sent us the Le Carron souvenirs—and Gosse's book. Charming the last - and shocking the first! - Apropos of your kindness in this matter, you are not to forget to send a certain book upon gardening! This is a message from the ladies with many other pleasant things on their part to you—We all expect to see you here again shortly — When?"

Publisher William Heinemann "set up his own business in 1890, and his association with Whistler began in June of that year, with the publication of The Gentle Art of Making Enemies. In 1892 Whistler attempted to get some of Mallarmé's address quatrains published by Heinemann [...] Also in that year, Whistler was planning with Heinemann to publish a set of lithographs entitled 'Songs on Stone', which they hoped would be popular and profitable. Heinemann also was a collector and bought lithographs by Whistler from the Fine Art Society in 1895." (Margaret F. MacDonald, Grischka Petri, Meg Hausberg, and Joanna Meacock, James McNeill Whistler: The Etchings, a catalogue raisonné, University of Glasgow, 2012, online at http://etchings.arts.gla.ac.uk.) (15250)

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Autograph Letter

Art & Design

Literature & Classics

• Sold