From the Harriet Anderson Stubbs and William Daniel Murphy papers, 1858-1969, a letter dated February 5, 1905,  about President Theodore Roosevelt walking through Jackson Park. 2 p., 20 x 27.5 cm.

William Daniel Murphy (1834-1928) and his wife Harriet Anderson Stubbs Murphy (1951-1935) collaborated on portraits; he photographed subjects and she painted portraits from those images. Early in 1905, Murphy traveled to Washington hoping to sell a portrait of the late President William McKinley, and to photograph Theodore Roosevelt. He wrote almost daily to his wife in New York, vividly describing the people who would serve as her subjects. In  this letter, he observes that "...his pants are too short - he walks with a bounding step and looks mostly at the pavement ahead of him - his coat is short (a Prince Albert) and silk hat and figured vest - both hands down - all alone - two men 40 ft. behind him called detectives trying to keep up with him no gloves on - hands pink - not too much color in face hair brown - shade lighter than mine - slightest tinge of warmth in ugly mustache - no sand or red." Although Harriet was the trained artist and painted the portraits, they were always signed "D. W. Murphy."

Page 2