Details
ARTHUR RACKHAM (1867-1939); EDWARD POYNTER (1836-1919); FREDERIC LEIGHTON (1830-1896); GEORGE FREDERICK WATTS (1817-1904); RONALD SEARLE (1920-)
A collection of approximately 100 autograph letters, signed, the majority loose in a large 4° album. The collection includes thirteen autograph letters, signed by Rackham, the majority from 3 Primrose Hill Studio's, Fitzroy Road, N.W., 1st May 1903 - 10th January 1921, to the illustrator Steven Spurrier (1878-1961). Topics covered include health, the birth of his still born son, his move to Primrose Hill, references to exhibits in the Royal Watercolour Society, Langham Sketching Club (of which he was Chairman from 1905-1907) and suggesting books of interest, partcularly art reference books as visual research. In a 4-page autograph letter, signed, from Primrose Hill, 8th June 1904, he recommends Rembrandt, Holbein, Durer, Botticelli, Van Eyk, Hals, Rubens and Menzel: "All these men I find the very greatest use & interest." Another 4-page autograph letter, signed, advises Spurrier on composition: "As for your own work, technically you are good enough for anything, but you must not forget that the dramatic point is in the end the important thing ... think only of the characters and what they would be doing, as vividly as if one were an actor getting up a part ... when doing a costume piece, one must remember that the costume is after all quite secondary -- the man inside is the important thing: and he must be interesting. Each character must have the power of arresting the attention somehow." Other letters in the album, the majority to Steven Spurrier, include those by Edward Poynter, Frederic Leighton, George Frederick Watts, Frank Brangwyn, Sir Francis Carruthers Gould, Laura Knight (including a pen and ink drawing of a clown), J. B. Priestley, Willy Sluiter, Henry Brock, William Hatherell and an early letter by Ronald Searle of 1947, the year of his first exhibition, writing of his admiration and indebtedness to Spurrier's work. (a lot)
A collection of approximately 100 autograph letters, signed, the majority loose in a large 4° album. The collection includes thirteen autograph letters, signed by Rackham, the majority from 3 Primrose Hill Studio's, Fitzroy Road, N.W., 1st May 1903 - 10th January 1921, to the illustrator Steven Spurrier (1878-1961). Topics covered include health, the birth of his still born son, his move to Primrose Hill, references to exhibits in the Royal Watercolour Society, Langham Sketching Club (of which he was Chairman from 1905-1907) and suggesting books of interest, partcularly art reference books as visual research. In a 4-page autograph letter, signed, from Primrose Hill, 8th June 1904, he recommends Rembrandt, Holbein, Durer, Botticelli, Van Eyk, Hals, Rubens and Menzel: "All these men I find the very greatest use & interest." Another 4-page autograph letter, signed, advises Spurrier on composition: "As for your own work, technically you are good enough for anything, but you must not forget that the dramatic point is in the end the important thing ... think only of the characters and what they would be doing, as vividly as if one were an actor getting up a part ... when doing a costume piece, one must remember that the costume is after all quite secondary -- the man inside is the important thing: and he must be interesting. Each character must have the power of arresting the attention somehow." Other letters in the album, the majority to Steven Spurrier, include those by Edward Poynter, Frederic Leighton, George Frederick Watts, Frank Brangwyn, Sir Francis Carruthers Gould, Laura Knight (including a pen and ink drawing of a clown), J. B. Priestley, Willy Sluiter, Henry Brock, William Hatherell and an early letter by Ronald Searle of 1947, the year of his first exhibition, writing of his admiration and indebtedness to Spurrier's work. (a lot)