SARGENT JOHN SINGER: (1856-1925) American artist, considered the leading portrait painter of his generation. A.L.S., John S. Sargent, to the recto and verso of his correspondence card, Tite Street, Chelsea, London, n.d. (´Saturday´), to Lady Richmond. The artist writes, in full, ´I am dreadfully late in sending you my free nights. They are Friday & Saturday of next week. Would either of those suit you and Richmond for our long delayed wrestle with the piano?´. Some light areas of staining to the recto, evidently caused by previous mounting, lightly touching a few words of text, G

Sir David Richmond (1843-1908) Scottish businessman who served as Lord Provost of Glasgow 1896-99. In 1870, he married Bethia Moffat Shanks (d.1917). Sargent painted a three-quarter length portrait of Sir David in 1900 which had been commissioned by the Corporation of Glasgow and depicts the subject wearing a black coat and fur robes. Today the painting is held in the collection of the Glasgow Art Gallery and Museum.