The Winterthur Library

The Joseph Downs Collection of Manuscripts and Printed Ephemera

Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum

5105 Kennett Pike, Winterthur, Delaware 19735

302-888-4600 or 800-448-3883

OVERVIEW OF THE COLLECTION

Creator: Read, Thomas Buchanan, 1822-1872.

Title: Letters

Dates: 1849-1863

Call No.: Col. 452; Mic. 1955

Acc. No.: 72x159.7-.32; 72x208; 77x522

Quantity: 1 folder + 1 microfilm reel.

Location: 34 J 2

BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT

Thomas Buchanan Read, born in Chester County, Pennsylvania, in 1822, was a poet and painter of portraits and historical scenes. He was apprenticed to a tailor at age 13, but ran away to Cincinnati, Ohio, to paint ships and signs. He later became an assistant to painter Shobal Clevenger. In 1840, Read received his first commission to paint a portrait of William Henry Harrison. A year later, he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where he befriended Washington Allston and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In 1846, Read moved to Philadelphia, Penn., and in 1850, he made the first of many trips to Europe.

During the Civil War, Read worked for the Union as a lecturer and propagandist. After the war, he returned to Italy where he remained until May 1872, when he returned to America; he died one week after his return to New York City. Read was married twice and had three children by his first wife, Mary J. Pratt of Ohio. Unfortunately, Mary and one daughter died during a cholera epidemic in Florence, Italy, in 1855. Only their daughter Alice lived to adulthood. Read’s second wife was Harriet Denison Butler of Northampton, Massachusetts, and they had no children.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

This collection contains original letters, a couple of typescripts, and a microfilm reel of letters from Read concerning exhibitions, prices for artwork, and other related business matters. The original letters include 25 from Read to Philadelphia art collector and patron James Lawrence Claghorn. Many of the letters to Claghorn were written during Read's sojourn in Europe between 1853-1855. They document life and work as an American artist in Florence, Italy. Read discusses painting portraits to defray the heavy expenses he incurred as a foreigner. He wrote about the 1855 cholera epidemic which took the lives of his younger daughter and wife. Shortly after this tragedy, Read fled to Bagni di Lucca in the mountains where he did not paint much due to his own illness and emotional strain. Read's letters indicate that in the spring of 1856, he returned to the U.S. and exhibited his paintings in Washington, D.C., and dined with President Franklin Pierce. Many letters include references to Read's work as a poet, and his association with such other poets and artists as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and Hiram Powers.

Several of the letters on microfilm are to James Fields, of the publishing company Ticknor and Fields, which published Read’s poems. A letter to Cist, Leonard & Herman was full of patriotic zeal.

ORGANIZATION

The letters are in chronological order.

LANGUAGE OF MATERIALS

The materials are in English.

RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESS

Collection is open to the public. Copyright restrictions may apply.

PROVENANCE

Original letters acquired from various sources.

Microfilm: originals in Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.

RELATED MATERIALS

Copies of some of Read’s poems are available in the Winterthur Library.

ACCESS POINTS

People:

Childs, George William, 1829-1894.

Fields, James T.

Claghorn, James Lawrence, 1817-1884.

Powers, Hiram, 1805-1873.

Topics:

Cist, Leonard and Herman (Firm)

Americans – Italy.

Art, American.

Art, Modern - 19th century - United States.

Art - Exhibitions.

Art - Prices.

Art patrons.

Cholera.

Epidemics.

Expatriate artists.

Grief.

Patriotism - United States.

Publishers and publishing – United States.

Florence (Italy)

Letters.

Letters of introduction.

Artists.

Poets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE COLLECTION

Location: 34 J 2

[no number] Seba Smith, New York, Sept. 13, 1841, to George Washington Light, [Boston], letter of introduction for Read, who had been living with Smith but wanted to move to Boston

[photocopy and typescript only; original in private collection]

72x159.7 Read, Philadelphia, to Mr. Claghorn, June 28, 1849. Health is broken and physician has ordered rest; is going to New England.

72x159.8 receipt, Philadelphia, Oct. 12, 1849, Read received money from Mr. Claghorn on account.

72x159.10 Read, London, to Claghorn, Aug. 9, 1853 (apparently just part of this letter). Will attend to Claghorn’s request about pictures; may go by way of Dusseldorf so can paint Leutze’s portrait for Dreer; Tennyson not home so cannot paint his; financial arrangements; just missed the exhibition but met the Pre-Raphaelites; has heard from Longfellow and an English religious magazine gave his poems a good review

72x159.9 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, Oct. 28, 1853. Setting up apartment has cost more than estimated; is working on 3 paintings [describes them]; Henry D. Gilpin visited and was encouraging; will soon begin portrait of Powers [Hiram Powers], and Mr. and Mrs. Browning [Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning] have promised to sit for him; hopes Tennyson will be in Florence and can do his portrait as well; J. T. Hart [Joel Tanner Hart] has asked to do a bust of Read; also an English sculptor wants to use him as a model for a medallion head; please send copies of Read’s illustrated book; news of family.

72x159.11 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, Dec. 13, 1853. Chamberlain party arrived safely; still working on paintings mentioned in last letter; hopes to do some portraits to make up for extra expenses of settling up studio; will write to Leutze and Whitridge; other American artists in Florence include Powers, Hart, and White, but most American artists have gone to Rome and Naples; ask Harry Townsend to send a description of a Pennsylvania Harvest Home; other news and business.

72x208 Read, Florence, to Piatt, [Paris,] February 6, 1854. Letter of introduction for Mr. Robertson, an artist; Mrs. Ward is making a splash in Florence society.

[Piatt is perhaps Judge Benjamin Piatt, who lived in Cincinnati and was a law partner of Nicholas Longworth, one of Read’s patrons. Mr. Robertson has not been identified.]

72x159.29 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, February 27, 1855. Townsend has been seeing to the publication of his poem; am working on a large painting to prove to his critics than he can do more than just small ones; mentions portrait of Mrs. Browning, who is consumptive; substance of bad business dealings with Butler.

72x159.12 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, March 10, 1855. Mentions subjects of paintings underway or planned for subscribers; few commissions because of hard times and the war [Crimean War]; is to paint portrait of a titled English lady, which pleases him because it shows what people think of his work – people with money do not commission those they think are second-rate; wet winter is affecting health; has received nice letters from Longfellow and the librarian of the British Museum about his poetry; other news.

72x159.13 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, March 13, 1855. Letter of introduction for Mr. Barbee, a promising sculptor [probably William Randolph Barbee]; has not been able to get photos of his work; mentions the sculptor Crawford; mentions good reviews of his book The New Pastoral.

72x159.14 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, March 25, 1855. Sending photos of his works with Mr. and Mrs. Waller, but the images are not good; no portrait commissions for anyone in Florence this winter; Mr. Astor regrets not buying “The Lost Pleiad” from him; quotes from a letter from Longfellow, in which he praises Read’s poem “The New Pastoral.”

72x159.15 Read, Florence, to Claghorn, June 28, 1855. Reports deaths of wife and daughter Lily from cholera; daughter Alice is being cared for by Mrs. Powers and others; Mr. Powers is seeing to having the bodies embalmed and shipped to America as Read does not want them buried in a foreign land; received offers of assistance from many people of many nations; will take Alice and got to the Baths of Lucca to recover.

72x159.16 Read, Bagni di Lucca, to Claghorn, July 18, 1855. This place as yet has no cholera and is cool and delightful; met Richards in Florence and received packages from Philadelphia; not yet able to decide upon future course of life; kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Powers.

72x159.17 postscript to above letter, dated July 19, 1855. Has sold “Undine” to a gentleman (Mr. Colley of Manchester, England) who is moving to New York and will be able to exhibit it in America; also talks about “Spirits of the Waterfall.”

72x159.18 Read, Baths of Lucca, to Claghorn, July 27, 1855. Many have fled Florence and come to this place; has another commission, but will not return to Florence until cholera abates.

72x159.19 Read, Baths of Lucca, to Claghorn, August 17, 1855. He and Alice still grieve; cannot return to his studio and his work in Florence until cholera abates; feels feeble but still hopes to achieve more with poetry and painting.

72x159.20a-b Read, Bellosguarda, near Florence, to Claghorn, September 14, 1855. Am preparing for return to Philadelphia; expenses of wife’s and daughter’s deaths (doctor, hotel, embalming) were great; mentions names of paintings he plans to sell (and his method of copying them so he can do others); concern over work done for subscribers at home.

72x159.21 Read, Cincinnati, to dear friend [Claghorn, also called Bub] November 23, 1855. Have arrived safely but fatigued; Mr. Longworth was most cordial [Nicholas Longworth was a patron of Read]; poem “The New Pastoral” has been well received here; has been elected a member of the Alpha Kappa Society at Marietta College, but doesn’t know what this means.

[Alpha Kappa was a literary society at Marietta College of Ohio]

72x159.22 Read, Washington, to “my dear Bub,” May 28, 1856. Had difficulties finding a room to show his pictures, but with the help of Senator Pearce [James Alfred Pearce] of Maryland was finally able to do so; Cocoran [sic, probably means William W. Corcoran] was “stiff and pompous”; mentions row over the Sumner affair; got a splinter from Sumner’s desk with some of his blood on it; House of Representatives is very rowdy – “reminds me of a Western barroom during election times.”
[Several days previous to this letter, South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks had entered the Senate Chamber and beat Senator Charles Sumner until the latter was rendered unconscious.]

72x159.23 Read, Washington, to “my dear Bub,” May 31, 1856. President [Franklin Pierce] invited him to dinner, where he met Mrs. Pierce’s niece Mrs. Henshaw, who admired Read’s poetry; Pierce spoke of traveling by horseback to California after his term was over, and Read offered to be the expedition’s poet laureate, but Pierce said perhaps he could be the “painter laureate” instead; even if doesn’t sell paintings or get any commissions, trip to Washington will still have been worthwhile. Mr. Corcoran has not yet called.

72x159.24 Read, Brooklyn, to “my dear Bub,” July 2, 1856. Working on portraits of Colonel and Mrs. Fremont; must go to Cincinnati for a short time; plans to sail on the clipper ship Dreadnought [destination not given]; Byerly approached him about having engravings made from a couple of his paintings.

Added in pencil: a list of the sisters at the Holly Well, west of Ireland.

72x159.25 Read, Brooklyn, to “my dear Bub,” July 7, 1856. Says about the same as in the letter of July 2, but mentions preparing himself for the “Haltar,” i.e. for his upcoming wedding to Harriet Dennison [on July 8]

72x159.26 Read, Brooklyn, to “my dear Bub,” July 25, 1856. Back from visit to Cincinnati; travelled with Mr. Garrett; went by way of Niagara Falls, where heard the news of his mother’s death; Alice is doing well; still needs to finish Col. Fremont’s picture before sailing on the Dreadnought.

72x159.27 Read, Brooklyn, to “my dear Bub,” August 9, 1856. Have just finished the Fremonts’ portraits [i.e. John C. and Jessie Benton Fremont]; is going to visit Mrs. Bill in Newburgh, and then will come to Philadelphia to visit Bub.

72x159.30 Read, Liverpool, to “my dear Bub,” September 7, 1856. Have just arrived safely after a tedious voyage and will write more later. Mr. Stuart called briefly. Hopes he will find letters from Harry and Mr. Brown.

72x159.31a-b Read, Liverpool, to “my dear Bub,” September 18(?), 1856. Have been working on portraits of Mr. and Mrs. David Stuart; has been to Liverpool Exhibition – comments on artists showing there (especially mentions Nicol), including the Pre-Raphaelites (specifically mentions Brown and Holman Hunt); plans to visit Manchester; Dreadnought had a bad leak during the entire voyage; for future, plans only to travel in iron steam boats and is looking forward to completion of Great Eastern. Hasn’t seen any American newspapers – hopes Fremont is gaining ground [John Fremont was the Republican party candidate in the presidential election]. Hasn’t received any letters from Philadelphia and knows nothing about the Rothmels (who may be in Rome) or Mr. Caldwell. Wrote some poetry while at sea and plans to finish “Valley Camp” in the winter. Wishes his American publisher was more energetic. [Signature removed.]

77x522 Read, Cincinnati, to Rogers [Randolph Rogers?, in Italy,] November 24, 1863. Letter of introduction for Mr. Bullet, a sculptor.

[Charles Bullet lived in Cincinnati for part of his career.]

72x159.32 Read, New York, to “my dear Bub,” no date. Is waiting for pictures to be unloaded from Erie so can send them on to Philadelphia, and plans to then follow them to that place. Has received some commissions for Rome and Mr. Gray may have others.

72x159.28 Read, no place, to “Bubb,” no date. Am ready to start for ship; J. W. Brown wrote with a commission but letter difficult to read – please ask him to send particulars again. Hopes not to disappoint Bubb. Looks forward to receiving letters from him and Harvey[?] in Liverpool.

[no number] Read, Studio Building, New York, Tuesday morning but no other date, to Mr. Stone; plans to mail box with Stone’s portrait this day; orders to have portraits of Stone, Mr. Brown, and young Claghorn varnished, and to deliver portrait of Miss Bailey to her father Wescott Bailey.

[photocopy and typescript only]

[no number] Also copy of a photograph of Read

Letters on microfilm, Mic. 1955:

[in order on reel, not in chronological order]

Read, American Club, Rome, January 16, 1869, to Mr. Child. Invitation to dinner.

Read, Rome, February 28, 1869, to Mr. Child. Discusses price for [portrait of?] Longfellow; will send something else to compensate; has been working on portraits; painting of Sheridan well received – asks advice for getting it chromolithographed; Longfellow to send an letter.

Read, Cincinnati, May 4, 1864, to Cist, Leonard, & Herman. Encloses two poems written in Rome after learning of the outbreak of the U.S. Civil War; additional patriotic sentiments.

Read, Newark, Dec. 25, 1846(?), to James Fields. Prefers printing style of Tennyson volumes, but defers to Fields in the matter; please send some copies of book to Cincinnati and some to Longfellow.

Read, Newark, Dec. 29, 1846, to James Fields. Book is beautifully produced; found a few typographical errors; includes except of book review.

Read, Cincinnati, January 9, 1863, to James Fields. Wishes Fields had replied while General Wallace’s staff was still in Cincinnati; very upset that Fields let his books go out of print just at holiday season when could have expected good sales.

Read, Cincinnati, no date, to James Fields. Please send an account of sales.