[Sir William Rothenstein, artist.] Autograph Letter Signed ('Will Rothenstein'), to 'Horder', i.e. the architect Percy Morley Horder, giving a humorous spoof autobiographical entry, as a jokey suggestion of how Horder should approach the topic.

Author: 
Sir William Rothenstein (1872-1945), painter, printmaker, draughtsman, lecturer, and writer on art [Percy Richard Morley Horder (1870-1944), architect ]
Publication details: 
'Chelsea – Glebe Place | Sunday'. No place.
£220.00
SKU: 22051

1p, 8vo. Text clear and complete, on heavily chipped and worn thin paper, with loss to extremities. An unusual and revealing letter, in which Rothenstein gives his own jokey suggestion of how Horder should approach a biographical entry he has been asked to write, begins: 'My dear Horder – of course you will do it! “Mr W. R. whose portraits never fail to give dissatisfaction to his sitters, was expelled from The Slade School in 1889, whence he went to Paris, finding no professor would have anything to do with him, he set up for himself, acquired a personality which enabled him to live in credit for some few years, which, however, will scarcely help him to slow that tide which must carry him off from the field of art. A familiar figure at the café Royal, Mr W. R. has endeared himself to the hearts of many of our London waiters.” The letter concludes: 'I could do it, I believe, beautifully myself. When are you going to see me? I go to paint the poet Bridges [i.e. Robert Bridges, poet laureate] this week, but shall be back in Town the week after – why not come – lunch! Through what trip [sic] door did you disappear the other night?' Valediction: 'Yours always – Will Rothenstein'.