Beschreibung:

LAWRENCE, Sir Thomas (1769-1830). Sixteen autograph letters signed and two autograph letters (incomplete) addressed to Mrs. John Angerstein and members of her family, Russell Square and n.p., 6 August 1815 - 30 December 1828 (mostly n.d.) , in two referring to his desire to purchase a drawing for the Royal Academy, asking Mrs. Angerstein not to mention to her family her brother's intention 'respecting the Michel Angelo, the Leda' until he has explained the matter to her, and [later the same day] referring to his great wish to have it, 'this fine drawing of Michel Angelo, the ornament of your brother's study' while now being aware of what 'from your brother's generous nature seems to have been so probable a destination for it', proposing to pay ¨500, 'and that the Drawing while remaining in my possession be fixed by written document upon the back of it ... to be the property of the Royal Academy and the gift of Mr Lock to it immediately upon my death', and referring to the fine collection of casts he has secured, presented by the King; in others expressing pleasure in good news of William Lock (at Rome), referring to Mrs. Lock's wish to retain a picture until Mr. Lock's return in the spring; correcting himself about the price of some paintings by Claude 'which was in guineas not pounds'; reporting 'some difficulty at Mr Sotheby's about separating the pictures to be retained and sold, those which are still to belong to the family and what your Brother wishes should be disposed of'; referring to Mr. Colnaghi's opinion about a book of engravings collected by a lady [Queen Caroline], which her husband is now refusing to accept and which shall certainly be Mr. Angerstein's if he again refuses; commending to the Locks and Angersteins Mrs. Wolff and her husband's fine new gallery and collection of casts, referring to a commission, and to a sitting for Mr. Lock's portrait, and generally mentioning his appreciation of his correspondent's kindness and help to him, altogether approximately 50½ pages, 8vo and 4to (autograph covers, seals, occasional tiny splits in folds, one letter torn in margin). The cartoon of Leda , after Michelangelo, which Lawrence purchased from Mrs. John Angerstein's brother, William Lock, is in the Royal Academy. Mrs. Angerstein (née Amelia Lock) was the daughter-in-law of John Julius Angerstein (1735-1823), the financier and collector, whose collection of Old Master paintings, purchased by the government on his death, formed the nucleus of the National Gallery. Angerstein was from an early date both patron and friend of Lawrence, who painted many portraits of his family, and of the Locks. Amelia Angerstein's father, the first William Lock of Norbury (1722-1810) was also a wealthy amateur of art, and his painting of St. Ursula by Claude is in the National Gallery. Her brother, the second William Lock (1767-1847) sold Norbury in 1819, when important works from his father's collection were dispersed. (16)