Description:

White Stanford

Single page TLS, 8" x 10.5",  on letterhead of McKim, Mead & White, 160 Fifth Avenue, New York. Dated "December 31st, 1897", and signed by Stanford White as "Aff, S White" Small 1 mm hole to middle of page, else near fine with expected folds.

 

An intriguing letter by Stanford White to "Mac", Frederick MacMonnies, the best known expatriate American sculptor of the Beaux-Arts school and White's long time business partner. White's letter makes note that, "I sent you a copy of a letter received from General di Cesnola. He says there is so much interest in the figure that he fears there will be a great kick if he takes it down now. I thought I had better wait and hear what you said about the matter. Kindly cable. You know what a pig-headed old fellow he is, and I am not at all certain, even if we insist on the thing, that he will do it."



His letter references a copy of a letter from General di Cesnola, who at the time of the letter is now the board of Trustees for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The path Cesnola took from a military career to being on the board of the Met and ultimately a director, begins with understanding the vast art collection that was purchased from Cesnola by the museum in the 1870's called "the Cesnola Collection" The Collection is remarkable not only for its size and diversity but also for its chronological range, stretching from the Early Bronze Age to the end of antiquity.


The story of the Cesnola Collection is almost as colorful as that of its creator, Luigi Palma di Cesnola. After a military career in both Europe and the American Civil War, Cesnola was appointed American consul in Cyprus in 1865. During the next few years, he amassed an unrivaled collection of Cypriot antiquities through extensive excavations and by purchase. The whole enterprise was funded from his own resources. At the time, a number of antiquarians from various European countries were beginning to collect Cypriot antiquities, but they were soon outmatched by Cesnola, who came to dominate the scene in Cyprus. Cesnola saw his work as rivaling that of Heinrich Schliemann at Troy and intended his discoveries on Cyprus to provide important evidence for the so-called missing link between the biblical and classical worlds.

 

The final destination of the Cesnola Collection was for a long time uncertain. In 1870, negotiations were held first with Napoleon III of France, who wished to acquire the entire collection for the Musée du Louvre in Paris, then with Russian officials for their possible transfer to the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. But soon afterward, Cesnola shipped the collection to London, where its exhibition aroused considerable public interest. It was at this point that the newly founded Metropolitan Museum of Art intervened and acquired the bulk of the collection for New York. The purchase was funded by public subscription with several leading business tycoons making substantial contributions. Cesnola accompanied his collection back to New York and devoted himself to supervising the work on its installation and publication. In 1877, he accepted a place on the Museum’s board of trustees and served as its first director from 1879 until his death in 1904.

 

Although the context is unclear about which figure Cesnola was concerned about to take down, the reference may very well have been about making space for a 50" commissioned painting of Marguand which was to grace the Metropolitan Museum and completed over the summer of 1897.

 

A superb historical letter in excellent condition.



This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses
.

 

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