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John Twachtman letter to Harrison Morris, -written 11/11/1900
A century ago- the American Impressionist John Twachtman, wrote this letter, upon being invited to participate in an exhibit. I wrote down the text of the original letter, which was displayed in the excellent, 1999 Twachtman exhibit, at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. I tried to copy it precisely, but may have made minor errors from the original.The spirit of the letter is accurate. Every artist I know, has felt this way at some point.
Dear Mr. Morris,
Your letter received yesterday. You know very well that I should like to send to your show, but I don't see how I can afford to. I cannot afford to buy frames for 1/10th of the things I have. My pictures have been sent to all the cities in the land, and are returned after an absence of from 3-6 months. Pray tell me what benefit there is to me? I have been doing this stunt for the last 25 years with large frame bills unpaid. This very month, three of my pictures will be sold at auction to pay part of a frame bill contracted 6 years ago. I had to go to the storage place and give names to these three pictures. I can tell you that it was a damn sad task to perform. And you want me to continue that sort of business?
I am going to pack all of my completed canvases and put them in a storage warehouse and drop the exhibition racket entirely. Do not think that I am sour or bitter…No, I have just as much interest in my work as ever, and never worked harder than I did last summer, and shall do this winter.
Very sincerely yours,
J. H. Twachtman
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