| Description | Letter dated 21 January 1872 to Macdonald from George Reid, R.S.A., 23 Duke Street, Edinburgh (Mrs. Walter Scott's), thanking for letter, regarding visit from Rev. Alexander Thomson, along with Reid's mother and sister Elizabeth, Macdonald's possible attendance at the Academy dinner, two of Maels' pictures are to be in the exhibition, mention of Forbes, a great collector of Maels' work, who owns these two pictures, visit to McTaggart and description of work he has on hand, with two sketches, one of which 'has a feeling of J.C. Hook about it', suggestion that either might do for Ogston (either Professor Sir Alexander Ogston, 1844 - 1929, or his father Francis Ogston, 1803 - 1887, Medical Officer of Health in Aberdeen), Chalmers' old woman has been sold to Robertson the banker in Glasgow, description of another, a child's head, called 'Sympathy', with sketch, and recommendation that Macdonald buy it, 'as a bit of painting I don't think Chalmers has ever done anything much finer', visit to see McKay's pictures, with brief description, failure to see either Cassie or his pictures, he is now F.S.A. Scot., though he was never known as an antiquarian, row between Hugh Cameron and Robert Horne, a connoisseur, Reid behind in a portrait of the Jamieson family, work on 'Broadsea' and on Dr. Gavin's portrait, description of an Orchardson bought by Peddie. |