“Derby, July 26th 1789.
“To Alderman Boydell.
“Sir,
“I understood by my friend Mr. Hayley, that, forming a Gallery of pictures from the works of Shakespeare was first agitated in a private party, of which he was one; that the artists were to be classed, ye first class to consist of Sir Joshua, Mr. West, Mr. Romney, &c., and your humble servant; that those in that class were to have 300gs. a picture, more or less, according to the size & work they might have in them; and that he was extremely happy to find the artists had entered upon this most laudable work with a spirit & liberality that reflected the highest honour upon them, resolving to sacrifice interest to fame. On these grounds I began and finished my picture upon the largest size then proposed. In the course of executing my picture, which, through ill-health, was much protracted, I learnt from good authority that ye original plan was quite deserted, that you bought pictures of any size (and which were not designed for the Gallery), and that the artists painted their subjects on such sized canvasses as they thought proper, and made the best terms they could with you. This, I have reason to believe, is the case, from what I saw and heard when in Town last. Upon your asking me when in the Gallery (together) what I expected for my picture, I told you that, being very remote from the scene of business, I was unacquainted with the prices you had given; that I should leave myself to you, not doubting but you would pay me as you had ye rest, upon which, pointing to one of Mr. Northcote’s pictures, you answered, We give him 25Ogs. And, pray, said I, what do you give to Mr. West for his? Oh, replied you, was I to pay all ye artists as I have done Mr. West, I might soon shut up the Gallery. I felt much mortified at this unworthy treatment, for such I cannot but think it, and left you.
“Now, Sir, I knew at the time, and have been confirmed in it since, that you gave Sir Joshua 5OOgs for his small picture, and a very considerable fee besides; also, that you gave Mr. West 5OOgs for his picture, and yet you were paving the way to offer me a much less sum. Is not my picture as large as Mr. West’s? Has it not equal, nay, more, work in it? Is it not as highly finished? And has not the public spoken as well of it? Then why should you attempt to make a difference in our price? Till you can give me a satisfactory reason why I should take less, I shall certainly expect the same. Had the work been carried on by the artists, with that generous and laudable spirit which my friend Hayley held out to me, I would have scorned to have been behind the most liberal of them; but for me alone to adhere to the first plan would be the highest folly, as I should thereby not only lose the pecuniary advantage, but endanger my reputation, a point which I consider as of far greater moment.
“I mentioned the circumstances to some of my friends in Town, & to others since my return into the country, and they all agree that I have strong reasons to complain of your treatment.
“I am, Sir,
“Your Obedient
“JOSH WRIGHT.
“P.S.—I heard also when in Town from very respectable Artists that you had agreed to give Mr. Copley 1000gs for his picture. If so, your conduct in this business is most strange.”
“Cheapside, Aug. 3 /89.
“Sir,
“I sit down to answer the most extraordinary Letter I ever yet received, wherein you inform me of a great many circumstances that I never heard of concerning the conduct of a work that I thought I was somewhat acquainted with.
“You begin your letter by telling me that you understood that I had classed the Painters according to their rank, and you gave me a list of the first class, in which you place your own name. Now, Sir, I never presumed to class the Painters. I leave that to the public, to whose opinion and judgment I bow with great reverence & respect.
“At the same time I am free to confess that had I ever presumed to have classed the historical painters of this country, perhaps Mr. Wright’s name would not have stood exactly where he has been pleased to place it himself.
“In the line of landscape, I confess it would have been a different consideration.
“I find it would be too tedious to go through all the ridiculous assertions that your very extraordinary Letter contains. I shall therefore leave you to enjoy your notions, however unfounded, and proceed immediately to business. I never offered you any specific price for your picture. You asked me what I had given for pictures of that size. I told you the prices. You knew that 300 guineas was the utmost stipulated sum, and, in one word, Sir, I will not give you any more.
“And this I offer, not so much for the merits of the picture, as that you nor no man may have reason to complain of my want of liberality. You are, indeed, the first that ever has complained on this subject, with what justice I leave the world to judge. When I look at the merits of the picture, it deserves no such sum; for however excellent the landscape part of it may be, the figures are very faulty, and so much out of drawing, that it will give no little trouble to correct it for the engravers.
“As to whatever prices I have given, or may hereafter give to any artist, in this or any other undertaking, I shall certainly not consult Mr. Wright, and his attempting to dictate to me on this subject is perfectly ridiculous.
“I am, Sir,
“Your humble Servant,
“JOHN BOYDELL.
“Copy, J. R. Harrison.”
Notwithstanding the Alderman’s disparaging remarks, Wright painted two other Shaksperian subjects, viz.: “The Tomb Scene in Romeo & Juliet,” and another of the “Storm,” with Antigonus pursued by a bear. The former he never sold; the latter was purchased by Mr. Henry Philips.
Reference to these two pictures will be found in the following correspondence:—
“Derby, June 17th 1790.
“My dear Friend,
“I cannot stomach the application you wish me to make to him, to come forward in my defence. Nor if I could, do I think it would be of any use. Long, who, our friend Tate knows, is his most intimate friend, & whose judgment he holds in the first rank, is intimately connected with the proprietors of the work. Therefore, there is but little room to hope he would do anything to serve me, that would in any wise injure a work they themselves were the first planners of.
“I am extremely obliged to you for the very flattering account you have sent me. Things seem to work to our wishes, & the Alderman’s conduct will, I hope, soon be completely dissected. I much wonder that Vasari has not appeared again ere now. Perhaps he is intimidated. There appeared an odd paragraph in one of ye papers a few posts ago: ‘The Prince of Pick-pockets has given instructions to his attorney to prosecute a printer for a libel on his character.’ As yet nothing has appeared that will come under that denomination, I hope.
“I would most willingly write to Mr. Heath respecting plates being made from the two pictures, but I hardly know what to propose to him; & if, on account of the Picture of ‘Romeo & Juliet,’ which has been so much decry’d, he should have objections, it might embarrass him to decline it to me. You have had so much trouble on my account, I really am sorry to ask you to write a short letter to sound him in the business; but he would be more explicit to you than me.
“J. WRIGHT.”
“My dear Friend,
“The two pictures I exhibited last year in the R. Academy of ‘Romeo & Juliet’ and Antigonus in the ‘Storm,’ were certainly painted too dark, sad emblems of my then gloomy mind. I have simplified the back ground of the former, enlarged the parts, and thrown more light into the Tomb, so that Julia is bright without being a spot; & the picture of the ‘Storm,’ I have near gone over the whole; rendering the parts clear & distinct, without weakening the character of Gloominess, and, if a man may be allowed to judge & speak of his own works, they are much improved indeed. I wish Heath was to see ’em now. I think he would like them, & perhaps indulge us with plates from them. I have a strange wish to see them well engraved as they are, though unworthy of adding to Boydell’s collection. I intended to have exhibited them at the Lyceum, but they[46] have quarrelled amongst themselves and don’t make one. Do you think Macklin would hang them in his room a month or two, for I wish to have them better seen by the publick than they have been. I communicate this to you to judge of, because I well know you regard both my interests & honour. I have heard nothing from Macklin respecting my painting for him. Tom Tate some time ago told me that Rogers, of Liverpool, who is concerned in the work, asked him if he thought, upon proper application being made, I would undertake any subjects, for it was much their wishes that I should be concerned. Macklin used me querely in his first scheme, & his application, if he does not wish to engage me, will now come with an ill grace.
“JOS WRIGHT.
“St. Ellens,
“14th Feby., /91.”