John Singer Sargent (Florence, 1856 - 1925, London)
Letter to Isabella Stewart Gardner from 17B Eldon Row, South Kensington, 1886
Ink on paper, 17.6 x 22.5 cm (6 15/16 x 8 7/8 in.)
Long Gallery
Commentary
In this letter of introduction, John Singer Sargent presents himself to his future patron with extraordinary care: “Ralph Curtis & Henry James have both told me of your arrival and authorized me to call on you, which I have the greatest desire to do. . . . James told me that on Wednesday afternoon he proposed taking you to the Academy [the Royal Academy of Arts] & Grosvenor [a gallery of contemporary art in London], and it was proposed that afterward he might bring you to my studio, if you felt inclined.” The young painter’s eagerness is unmistakable throughout these polite inquiries, which initiated their lasting friendship.