MISS NELLA FONTAINE BINCKLEY
215 B STREET N. E.
WASHINGTON, D. C.
August 20th. 1927.
Dear Cousin Robbie: --
Aunt Sue handed me your letter just before she went to North Carolina, with the request that I would reply to it, for her.
I notice from the date that she received it some time ago. I presume her delay was caused by the fact that they were breaking up housekeeping. And after living in one apartment for eleven years, that means a terrific upheaval. She wished me to say that she was sure our branch of the family would do its share.
The especial reason, however, for her asking me to write was that she thought I was the artist perhaps best fitted to paint the portrait of uncle Joe. I would have preferred that she tell you of my qualifications herself, as it puts me in rather an awkward position to have to do so myself.
If you were to write to the Arts Club here, 2017 I street, northwest, as to my ability as a portrait painter, they can tell you how I stand. I am a charter member. I might mention that Mr. Morris Leisenring, the President of the Club before Dr. Coville, the present incumbent, bought a picture from me, -- a portrait of his wife, herself a leading portrait painter here.
You will find me "Who's Who in the Nation's Capital", and in "Who's Who in Art", American Art Annual, volume 24, for 1927.
I have various press notices, -- New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and others, among which are Halifax, Nova Scotia,and Johannisburg [Johannesburg], South Africa. But I have only one copy of each, except the enclosed. Miss Mechlin is the leading art critic here.
Though, like many artists, I prefer to work from life, I have done many portraits from photographs.
When Mrs. Wheeler died, wife of Gen. Joseph Wheeler of Alabama, they sent me the order for her life-size portrait to me, in California, saying no one else should do it. They had no very good photograph, but were much pleased with the portrait.
Perhaps the most important portrait I ever did from a photograph was one of Archbishop Corrigan, ordered by a parishioner, seen after his death. This was during my first winter in New York. (I lived there six years.) The Archbishop's brother said it was the best likeness of him ever done. This pleased me very much, as there is a magnificent full-length, life-size one, in that city, painted by the famous French artist Chartran.
By the way, the only picture uncle Joe ever bought in his life (as he told me) was a small portrait I did from life, of cousin Tom Preston, of Charlottesville. I offered to give it to uncle Joe, when he wanted to buy it. But he insisted, and sent me double the modest price I named. He declared it was the best portrait he had ever seen, and he thought cousin Tom's wife ought to have it.
If you and the others would like me to do it, I would certainly put my best efforts into the work.
I dont [don't] know what photographs you people may have. I have a small card photo given me by grandmother, taken, I fancy, during the war. I have also a large engraving given me by a friend while I was living in New York, He had bought it at a sale.
Let me know what you and the others think about it. Any portrait I do always carries the guarantee that if not satisfactory, it need not be accepted.
Affectionately your cousin,
Nella Fontaine Binckley
[Ellen/Nellie/Nella Fontaine Binckley (September 1, 1860- April 27, 1951; she was not born in 1877 as she successfully hoaxed some time after returning from the West Coast to the East Coast in the early 1900s)
Cousin Robbie = Robert Morton Hughes, Sr. (1855-1940)
Aunt Sue = Sue Henry Mitchell/Michel Taliaferro (1845-1940)
Uncle Joe = Joseph Eggleston Johnston (1807-1891)
Arts Club of Washington, D.C. (1915-present): "first club in the city to admit women as charter members." Official website here.
Luther Morris Leisenring (1875-1965)
His wife = Mathilde Mueden Leisenring (1870-1949)
Miss Mechlin = Leila Mechlin (1874-1949)
Gen. Joseph Wheeler (1836-1906)
Mrs. Wheeler = Daniella Ellen "Ella" Jones Sherrod Wheeler (1841-1896)
Archbisop Corrigan = Michael Augustine Corrigan (1839-1902)
Chartran = Théobald Chartran (1849-1907)
Cousin Tom Preston = Thomas Lewis Preston (1812-1903)
Cousin Tom's wife = Ann Mariah Saunders Preston (1825-1911)
Grandmother = Jane Mary Wood Johnston Mitchell/Michel (1811-1892)]
Many thanks to William Myers, Mary Davy and Sally Young for their ongoing research collaboration; in this case, specifically to William for providing a scan of the original letter, and in turn thanks to Mr. Mel Frizzell, Special Collections Specialist.
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