Carnegie Mellon University - Andrew Carnegie Online Archives

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  • Subject = Bertram, James, 1872-1934
  • Original Format = image/jp2; 2 p. ; 27 cm.
  • Subject = Painters--Sweden

About This Collection

This collection contains primary resources about Carnegie's bequests along with supporting explanatory text, that teachers will be able to use as part of their curriculum.
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(Samuel H. Church to John W. Beatty, August 31, 1911)
(Samuel H. Church to John W. Beatty, August 31, 1911)
Church, Samuel Harden--Correspondence, Beatty, John W. (John Wesley), 1851-1924, Zorn, Anders, 1860-1920--Correspondence, Bertram, James, 1872-1934, Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919--Portraits, Philanthropists--United States--Portraits, Zorn, Anders, 1860-1920, Painters--Sweden, Portraits, Art commissions
A typescript letter from Secretary, presumably Samuel H. Church, to John W. Beatty concerning the portrait Anders Zorn painted of Andrew Carnegie. Church states that he is enclosing correspondence from Anders Zorn, dated August 18, 1911 and James Bertram, presumably dated June 30, 1911. He asks Beatty to return the enclosed correspondence to him after he has read it. Church states that Bertram's negative opinion of the portrait is the same as Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie. He asks Beatty what they should do about the portrait. He writes that Bertram ""has enclosed an order for the portrait"" and asks Beatty if they should get the portrait from Carnegie's house before he returns from abroad or ""sit tight and do nothing more until something drops"". A P.S. is included stating that Mr. and Mrs. Church stopped at Plymouth for a couple of days and they are ""about ready to join"" Beatty and Mr. Hamerschlag ""as members of the Plymouth colony next year"".
(Samuel H. Church to John W. Beatty, May 19, 1911)
(Samuel H. Church to John W. Beatty, May 19, 1911)
Church, Samuel Harden--Correspondence, Beatty, John W. (John Wesley), 1851-1924--Correspondence, Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919--Correspondence, Zorn, Anders, 1860-1920, Painters--Sweden, Art commissions, Portraits, Carnegie, Andrew, 1835-1919--Portraits, Philanthropists--United States--Portraits, Carnegie, Louise, Whitfield, Estelle, Franks, Thetta Quay, Bertram, James, 1872-1934
A typescript letter from Samuel H. Church to John W. Beatty in regards to a portrait of Andrew Carnegie that was painted by Anders Zorn. In the letter Church refers to a telegram he sent Beatty from the train he was on May 19, 1911 in which he stated ""that the Zorn portrait of Mr. Carnegie is a total failure"". Church writes that Mr. Carnegie, Mrs. (Louise) Carnegie, Miss (Estelle) Whitfield and Mrs. (Thetta Quay) Franks all dislike the portrait. Church states that Carnegie thinks that the portrait looks like a ""beer-swilling, lounging German"" and is a ""libelous canvas"". The portrait has been placed facing inwards on a shelf in James Bertram's office. Carnegie was told by Zorn that someone would ""call for it"" but no one has done so yet. Church believes that if the portrait is that bad he thinks that ""we should reject it"" and not pay the $7,000 fee for the portrait. In his above mentioned telegram he asked Beatty to take one or two experts to look at the painting. Church writes that he has written to Carnegie to inform him that Beatty will call on him to look at the portrait. Signed Secretary. Includes a P.S. with a note that Church has asked Mr. Bruce to sign letter for him and another P.S. that he also just received Beatty's telegram presumably of May 19, 1911. He asks Beatty to send him a wire on Monday ""so that I will know what is in the air"".