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MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY, Felix (1809-1847). Autograph letter signed ('Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy') to the sculptor Hermann Knaur, Leipzig, 29 November 1842.
Informing him that [the art dealer Louis] Sachse in Berlin has given his approval for work [on busts of Bach and Handel], on which Knaur is to embark with all due speed, sending the first model to Berlin as soon as it is ready, without waiting for completion of the second; Knaur is departing for Halle the next day to look for a portrait [for the Handel bust], and he is to let Mendelssohn know how he has fared; Mendelssohn is looking forward to seeing the two busts take shape, and thanks Knaur in advance for the pleasure which these will bring to all music-lovers. 2 pages, 12mo (135 x 205mm), integral address panel, framed between glass.
'So eben erhalte ich Brief von Hrn. Sachse aus Berlin, woraus ich ersehe daß die Sache in Richtigkeit ist, und nun bitte ich Sie also die Arbeit sobald als möglich zu beginnen, denn auch Hr. Sachse schreibt, daß die möglichste Beschleunigung ihm sehr wünschenswerth sei. Er bittet Sie zugleich ihm das zuerst fertige Modell gleich nach Berlin zu schicken, ohne die Vollendung des zweiten abzuwarten [...] Ich freue mich nun herzlich darauf die beiden Büsten von Ihnen modelliert zu sehen, und in dem ich Ihnen im Voraus für das Vergnügen danke, das Sie allen Musikfreunden dadurch machen werden bin ich Ihr hochachtungsvoll / ergebner / Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy'.
UNPUBLISHED. Mendelssohn had commissioned the sculptor Hermann Knaur (1811-1872), with whom he was already collaborating at this period on the Bach memorial in Leipzig, to produce plaster busts of Bach and Handel: the busts were produced in a limited edition, distributed by the Berlin art dealers L. Sachse & Co. One subscriber was Robert Schumann, and examples of both busts survive in the Schumann-Haus in Zwickau. We are grateful to Dr Ralf Wehner for his help in the preparation of this note.
Informing him that [the art dealer Louis] Sachse in Berlin has given his approval for work [on busts of Bach and Handel], on which Knaur is to embark with all due speed, sending the first model to Berlin as soon as it is ready, without waiting for completion of the second; Knaur is departing for Halle the next day to look for a portrait [for the Handel bust], and he is to let Mendelssohn know how he has fared; Mendelssohn is looking forward to seeing the two busts take shape, and thanks Knaur in advance for the pleasure which these will bring to all music-lovers. 2 pages, 12mo (135 x 205mm), integral address panel, framed between glass.
'So eben erhalte ich Brief von Hrn. Sachse aus Berlin, woraus ich ersehe daß die Sache in Richtigkeit ist, und nun bitte ich Sie also die Arbeit sobald als möglich zu beginnen, denn auch Hr. Sachse schreibt, daß die möglichste Beschleunigung ihm sehr wünschenswerth sei. Er bittet Sie zugleich ihm das zuerst fertige Modell gleich nach Berlin zu schicken, ohne die Vollendung des zweiten abzuwarten [...] Ich freue mich nun herzlich darauf die beiden Büsten von Ihnen modelliert zu sehen, und in dem ich Ihnen im Voraus für das Vergnügen danke, das Sie allen Musikfreunden dadurch machen werden bin ich Ihr hochachtungsvoll / ergebner / Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy'.
UNPUBLISHED. Mendelssohn had commissioned the sculptor Hermann Knaur (1811-1872), with whom he was already collaborating at this period on the Bach memorial in Leipzig, to produce plaster busts of Bach and Handel: the busts were produced in a limited edition, distributed by the Berlin art dealers L. Sachse & Co. One subscriber was Robert Schumann, and examples of both busts survive in the Schumann-Haus in Zwickau. We are grateful to Dr Ralf Wehner for his help in the preparation of this note.
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