Sir Alfred Munnings, A collection of 26 items of annotated correspondence and sketches to Mr & Mrs Edward Adcock, comprising 12 letters, three postcards, an envelope and 10 sketches (26)
Sir Alfred James Munnings P.R.A., R.W.S. (British, 1878-1959)
A collection of sketches and letters
comprising nine various sketches in pencil or pen, two of these inscribed 'merry christmas' and signed, eleven various pages of correpondances, many containing illustrations, an illustrated envelope, an exhibition invitation, a postcard with Munnings print, all addressed to Edward Adcock, together with two further postcards possibly not relating to Munnings. (26)
Sold for £4,750 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • Edward Adcock was a good friend to Munnings and one of his earliest and most loyal patrons. Munnings makes reference to their relationship in the first of his autobiographies 'An Artist's Life' pub. Museum Press 1950, in which he dedicates chapter LX to him: 'Edward Adcock: Early patron and friend'; Adcock is thus described by Munnings: '...An old Norwich friend. He was one who indulged in a good full way of living, food, wine, furniture, pictures were all to his liking. Often did I stay with this jolly patron and his wife in their nice house on the Newmarket Road...he drove a hard bargain, sitting in a chair in my studio as I placed each painting before him in turn he treated the pictures he liked with derision, and finally bought them for very little.'

    The correspondance here spans from 1900-1926, a typical letter reads:

    'Dear Edward. You must think me a shit - I behaved like one today - but to tell you the truth I had been working all day & hadn't had any dinner and the light was so bad that I was upset & these water colours have to go in next week.
    I will make up for things by painting on that picture of yours so that you'll like it better than anything you have. I like to see you over better than anyone, because you've always taken a great interest in what I'm doing & you mustn't think I was cross with you today for coming it was the blessed thing that I was trying to finish. Yours Sincerely A. J. Munnings

Category: Fine Art / Pictures


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