De La Rue's Desk Diary

RA Collection: Archive

Reference code

GRI/2/27

Title

De La Rue's Desk Diary

Date

1875

Level

Item

Extent & medium

1 volume, 10 pieces

Content Description

In January is a letter from Alexander Leslie Melville, 3rd September, relating to loan of a Reynolds picture to the Royal Academy winter exhibition; on

January 1st is a newspaper cutting on Maclise's Westminster paintings, he goes on to make detailed notes on the progress of his attempt to restore these works; in February he has pasted a review of the Academy winter exhibition; in March there is a letter from Lord Ashburton relating to his wife's wish to have his portrait finished, adjacent is a small cutting relating to the beneficial atmospheric effects of plants, a copy of a letter from C.J. Richmond, 4th December 1874 on their visit to Rome and a concluding review of the exhibition; notes in April that he wished he had avoided being a hanger of the summer exhibition, notes on the 12th that he spent fourteen hours at the Academy and is 'thoroughly beaten'; in August there is a letter from Frederick Wigram, 17th May 1875, regarding the taking of a print from Richmond's portrait of his father; in august is left an Academy death notice for Sydney Smirke, also in August a cutting on the continued poor condition of the Maclise paintings; in the memoranda section he records prices from a sale at Christie's, also a synopsis of his speech in response to Leighton's proposal that 12 associates be added to the membership of the Academy; at the rear he notes expenses owed by the Academy and some proposed pictures for the next winter exhibition.