Lewis, John Frederick, 1804-1876

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Alice Woolner's hand is difficult to decipher. She appears to be writing on behalf of Thomas Woolner to arrange a meeting with J.F. Lewis on January 29th, at the Athenaeum.

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Woolner appears to inquire about the health of J.F. Lewis, noting "this severe weather I fear is very bad for your invalid."

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"March 29th, 1914. Dear Mr. Hewitt, Thank you very much for searching out the letters of my father and taking so much trouble about the matter. It will be very nice to see you again if you can manage to bring the letters but I should like to know when you mean to come as I might be out - we are leaving this place on Monday April 6th and tomorrow we are out all the afternoon - With our kind regards, I am Sincerely yours, Amy Woolner."

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A folded sheet of paper, inscribed: "Letters from T. Woolner to J.F. Lewis R.A., returned with thanks & compliments, May 19, 1914, from Amy Woolner, Belle Vue, Chiddingfold, Surrey."

Scope and Contents: "January 15, 1914. Dear Mr Hewitt, I am so much indebted to you for your kindness in sending me this valuable list. I want to see Lewis better represented here and shall try to array a little exhibition rather with a view to the Trustees being able to see his work. Mr Horton of Birmingham [i.e., Joseph Horton, d. 1927] has a good big [?] scale one "In the Harem" but he has rather an exaggerated idea of its market price. Sir Cuthbert Quilter had a good one but I do not know at present what...

Scope and Contents: Rossetti explains that he has been in Paris for the past ten days and so only just received Heaton's latest letter. Rossetti has heard from Ruskin that Heaton would prefer keeping the drawing from the Purgatorio of Rachel and Leah, or Matilda and Beatrice. Rossetti remarks that he has given Matilda and Beatrice the actions of Rachel and Leah and describes the two figures as "of an entirely Oriental character, as the real Rachel and...

Scope and Contents: "Xmas Day 1863. My dear Vokins, Poor Thackeray has gone! I suppose you saw this morning an account of his death in the "Times". Poor fellow. What a loss! & so young too. At one time I knew him well. Your note gratified me much this morning & when I opened & saw the Photograph, I thought you had put your real self in - & had got somebody to seal you up! Thanks for it - it is very like [...] God knows yet what I shall get by April - I will do my best, if my health holds out -...

Scope and Contents: The album was compiled by Henry Sanford Bicknell. It includes letters to David Roberts from William Allan, Samuel Austin, Edward Hodges Baily, William Boxall, John Britton, John Burnet, Robert William Buss, Augustus Wall Callcott, George Cattermole, Alfred Edward Chalon, Henry Barnard Chalon, William Collins, Edward William Cooke, George Cooke, Charles West Cope, John Doyle, Thomas Duncan, Charles Lock Eastlake, James Elmes, William Etty, Myles Birket Foster, Andrew Geddes, Frederick...

Scope and Contents: "Feb 1 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, I was sorry to miss the pleasure of seeing you last Thursday, but I was afraid you would not be able to come to town again so soon. The election was I think perfectly satisfactory; the new manner of voting acted well, and really gained the wishes of the body by breaking the coalition of several cliques, which are individually of small account, but formidable when combined. I shall be very pleased to have a chat with you on the subject of your pictures, and...

Scope and Contents: "Ap: 12 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, Sir Vincent Eyre is anxious to do something towards preserving the antiquities in Egypt, and intends drawing up a petition to the Khedive for that purpose, and to have it presented to him thro' the Foreign Office. But in order to give the petition full effect both with our and the Egyptians authorities, he thinks it best to obtain the sanctions and signatures of the President and Council of the R. Academy, and of the Roy: Soc: of Antiquaries. He was speaking to...

Scope and Contents: "Ap: 19 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, Many thanks for your kind letter; and I have no doubt the R. Academy will wish to support a petition with so good an object. I saw Dobson last evening and he told me the council were not busy now, so that maybe they will take notice of this matter. I grieve to have such a poor account of you from yourself. After such a long habit of close work to be denied it is indeed a loss. But the loss belongs to us all almost more than to you. It will give me great...

Scope and Contents: "May 17 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, your letter was sent on to me at Paris, and greatly delighted I was to know you were pleased with the appreciation of your wonderful picture. You do not think so highly of your own work as your admirers do, or you could not be surprised at any sum being offered for one of your chief pictures. I am sure Mr Graham's offer was bona fide, as he asked me to find out if the possessor would take the sum mentioned, and as he was willing to give it. £10,000 is a...

Scope and Contents: "Aug: 29 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, The friends of J.H. Foley are anxious he should be buried in St. Pauls, and Canon Liddon tells me that we must have two or three of the chief names in art to support the application: will you kindly send me your aid writing a letter in support of the plan that I may receive on Monday morning. I have to see the Canon at 2 P.M. on Monday to present the letters and help him select the site. You see there is no time to be lost. The Canon proposes Thursday next for...

Scope and Contents: "Sep 1 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, Your generous soul will rejoice that poor Foley will have the last honour due to him; for our application has succeeded and he is to be buried in St. Pauls on Friday next at 12 o'clock. He will lie close to Turner, Reynolds, and James Barry, with only one grave between him and this noble company. The sterling artists are fast passing away, and what the next generation will be like I tremble to contemplate. - With kindest wishes for your health - Ever truly...

Scope and Contents: "Nov 22 '74. My dear Mr Lewis, A letter from you comes like the sun thro' this dingy abomination called fog. It would have shocked me had I known such an idea as coming here this weather had even entered your head as a possibility. So far as I am concerned, election to R. A-ship is a point of no great consequence, as I care nothing for fancy titles, and do not like my time to be taken up by Council meetings, and A.R.A.-ship suits me very well indeed, as I get most of the fun and only a...

Scope and Contents: "Jan 17 '75. My dear Mr Lewis, It is all very well to say "do not answer this"; but I have too good a sense of my privileges to obey such an injunction. In the "Apocrypha" I remember reading in the days of my youth - "If thou knowest a wise man let thy feet wear his doorstep"; - but as I cannot do this I may help to wear out his door-knocker. Since my return from Venice my time has been wholly taken up or I should have thanked you before for your most kind...

Scope and Contents: "Jan 31 '75. My dear Lewis, If you refuse being Mr-ed; - I was much delighted with your kind letter and the hope it offered me of a pleasant glimpse of your happy life. Please to ask Mrs Lewis to accept my bow of homage, and say with what pleasure I look forward to making her acquaintance. I know that I have already seen her several times in life, and, if I mistake not, once in her immortality as she looks in the "Bey's Garden," the guardian angel of...

Scope and Contents: "March 24 '75. My dear Lewis, My wife and I called to see [William] Boxall and found that he had not only pulled through this time but was quite frisky, not on his feet as he never was much that way. He looks better than I have seen him for some time; he seemed pleased when I told him you had made enquiries about him. I saw Dr Quain this morning and he told me that the President was tolerably well, and, for him, quite strong. So that it is satisfactory to know that the East wind cannot kill...

Scope and Contents: "May 30 1875. My dear Lewis, I hope you are getting better with the bright weather. I came down to spend the day at this lovely place, - the seat of the great Earl Chatham - and having nothing to do but enjoy myself I make a part of that enjoyment saying how-d'ye-do to you. I am truly sorry you do not get strong quickly; and not only on your own account, and on account of art, but also on my own, for I want the pleasure of seeing you. I am Visitor in the Life School till the middle of June;...

Scope and Contents: "June 21, '75. My dear Lewis, It rejoiced my life to see your hand again on paper, and I hope next Friday to behold your veritable countenance, and to hold that hand in my own. It is very good to offer me a bed, but will you smile on my petition? - Instead of staying all night and possibly putting you to some trouble, may I bring my wife to spend the afternoon with you? It will be a joy for her to remember all her life making her bow to you in your own house. There are two convenient...