| Description | Letter to Alexander Macdonald of Kepplestone from John Pettie, 21 St. John's Wood Road, N.W. London, assuring him that he has not forgotten his promise to look out for a subject that would suit a painting for Macdonald, it is being 'thought out in charcoal', based on a text from 'As You Like It', 'trying my hand at a bit of forest glade', report on the hanging of the Royal Academy exhibition: 'the hangers have shewn very bad judgement … not to say positive injustice', MacTaggart's and Cameron's pictures are not so unfairly hung, arguments between the hangers and the Council, Millais' 'Moses' the best of the show, McWhirter suffers by comparison, Pettie has seen his picture 'The Old Tree Trunk', in progress for Macdonald, and likes it, remarks on Peter Graham's 'Rainy Day', if Macdonald wants to know about any others Pettie will report for him, not too busy and may come north, Israels' picture is 'a splendid thing', 23 April 1871 |