DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE) 'Lewis Carroll' Autograph letter signed ('C.L. Dodgson'), to Mr Rosse...

DODGSON (CHARLES LUTWIDGE) 'Lewis Carroll' Autograph letter signed ('C.L. Dodgson'), to Mr Rossetti, sending him the remaining 8 photographs from his order ('...2. of yourself/ 4. Mrs & Miss Rossetti/ 2. Drawing – head on pillow...'), assuring him '...the white marks, which rather disfigure the prints in their present state, are easily got rid of with a little water-colour...', and sending his '...little bill...', asking which photograph of Woodward he would like ('...I did two... One is 6 x 5 in. where the whole figure is seen, sitting on a chair... The first is the best in my opinion...'), ending by asking if he, or Madame Beyer, wanted any more of the carte-de-visite of her as the printer has sent too many, four pages on a bifolium, dust-staining and marks, creased at folds, 8vo (138 x 88mm.), Christ Church, Oxford, 21 June [18]65 Footnotes: Dodgson was a keen photographer and '...his diaries disclose a devotion to his hobby which goes beyond all expectation...' (Helmut Gernsheim, Lewis Carroll, Photographer, 1969, p.15). He photographed many celebrated literary and artistic figures in the 1860's, and his diary reveals that, at the instigation of Christina Rossetti, he took several photographs of the Rossetti family in the garden of 16 Cheyne Walk during a four-day session beginning on 7 October 1863. This included a portrait of D.G. Rossetti which depicts him 'in his prime' according to his brother (Gernsheim, pl.21) and portraits of his mother and Christina Rossetti, whose poem Goblin Market he much admired (Gernsheim, pl.23). On 8 October Dodgson photographed some of Rossetti's works including drawings of his late wife, and on 9 October he took the portrait of Madame (Helene) Beyer, a German model who sat for Rossetti and is believed to be the model for his 1863 work Joan of Arc Kissing the Sword of Deliverance and Alexander Munro's sculpture (Gernsheim, pl.27). The recipient of our letter can thus be identified as D.G. Rossetti rather than his brother William. Arthur Hughes also visited Cheyne Walk on 12 October to be photographed with his children (see lot 164). In the summer of 1860 Dodgson had photographed Benjamin Woodward, the gothic revival architect of the Oxford University Museum who was much admired by the Rossettis, John Ruskin, William Morris and their circle. It may be that the print to which Dodgson refers is that held in the NPG Collection (NPG P312), as attributed to Dodgson, and described by Dodgson here: '...the whole figure is seen, sitting, on a chair...'. The other portrait of Woodward, '...figure seen down to the knees only...', that Dodgson thinks less good, could be the image held at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. Subsequent correspondence reveals that Dodgson took some time to produce prints of the sitting, finally delivering them to the Rossettis in March 1864. Rossetti was delighted and placed an order with Carroll for more prints on 13 March, '...The three groups are all very good, I think – the best being that with 4 figures only [presumably NPG P56] of which I should like much, at your leisure, to have 4 copies for myself. I daresay when my mother sees the photos: which she has not yet done she will be anxious to have some also. Of the one of myself seated which came the first time, 4 copies. Of my sister & mother reading together, 6 copies....' (letter to Dodgson, 13 March 1864, William E. Fredeman, The Correspondence of Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 2002-10, Vol.3, 64:31, pp.124-125, quoted on NPG website). It would seem, therefore, that our letter accompanied the prints provided by Dodgson the following June. Provenance: Dr Leslie Cowan (1929-2021); thence by descent to the present owner. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing