Tennis Player, Once More

Details

Sir William Orpen, R.H.A., R.A. (1878-1931)
Tennis Player, Once More
inscribed 'My dearest wife - I had a letter/from Lane this morning saying Mrs/Few had told him Mary's cold was/real bad - I'm so sorry I hope it/is better now and that you have not/got it./I have had two severe blows in the/last two days. The Brighton school/portrait has gone to GH Shannon and/a letter this morning from Manchester/saying they have settled on an artist/connected with Manchester (Dodd perhaps)./I am angry with Jack over this as/he must have made a mistake he/said the portrait was definitely offered/to me. That is £450 gone tosh!/Why little things like this should/upset me I don't know - I only feel/them for a day or so -/I hope the photographs were a/success - or will be - has Laib sent/any prints? - Lane writes that Marie/Tempest is going to tea on Thursday!/Love to you all your loving husband Billon./ONCE MORE'
black ink on cream paper
13 x 8 in. (33 x 20.3 cm.)

Provenance

The artist's family.

Special notice

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Lot Essay

This letter probably dates to circa Autumn 1907, and the self portrait is probably Orpen playing at the Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club where he played regularly with his brother Richard up to the First World War.

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