Jervis McEntee Diaries

Tuesday April 14, 1874

Jervis McEntee Diary Entry, Thursday, April 14, 1874, from the Jervis McEntee papers, 1850-1905, in the Archives of American Art, Smithsonian Institution

Thursday, April 14, 1874- Weir and Robt Wilkinson dined with us this evening. I have been at work all day on a piece of perspective. The past week has been a depressing one. Nobody comes to my studio and I begin to feel the old anxiety about money matters from which I have been free all winter. I called to see Moore who was not in but came to see me yesterday. He owes me $400 but I could get no promise from him after I had urged him beyond what my conscience allowed me. I went to see Snedecor today who owes me a small sum but he could not pay me. My pictures in the Academy do not sell. I made a mistake in not putting lower prices on them but I always do the wrong thing. I told Mr. Brown in charge of the gallery that if he had any inquiries I would take much less for any of them. I met the Hibbards from Buffalo in the gallery today. The Academy is doing splendidly. Many pictures have been sold and the receipts at the door are very encouraging, from two to three hundred dollars a day. There seems a real revival in Art. The papers are encouraging. The Tribune has carefully written articles. One a day or two ago spoke in complimentary terms of me. I really feel however that I am not strongly represented in landscape this year much as I desired to be. I will look out for next year.

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