Edited by Tim McLoughlin

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Letter from SOCIETY OF ARTS to JAMES BARRY, written c. 25 July 1804 , at Adelphi, London

Source: MS RSA AD/MA/10410/403, Royal Society of Arts, London.

This draft of a letter of introduction was drawn up after the Committee of Polite Arts in the Society of Arts had agreed to commission Charles Warren (c.1766-1823), a noted engraver, to do a line engraving of Barry's portrait for their Transactions. Warren later declined the commission.

Barry wrote to Valentine Green on 25 July that he preferred James Heath to do the engraving (see Barry to Valentine Green, 25 July 1804).

Although the letter, in Taylor's hand, carries no date or place, it was written soon after Taylor's letter to Barry (ante 25 July 1804).

Sir

The Bearer of this is M^r Charles Warren the Gentleman who the Committee were informed was ^isis an Artist of Abilities in Line Engraving, they1 request you will favour him with a Sight of the painting of your portrait & afterwards that he will call here to communicate with them ^{which you approve} which you approve 2 previous to any positive Engra Agreement being made for ^anan engraving to be made from it.

Charles Taylor

Show/Hide other notes [why?]

1 ^
they] The committee of Polite Arts, one of several committees of the Society of Arts.

2 ^
you approve] Barry had agreed that the portrait to be used for the frontispiece to the Society's Transactions would be his self-portrait started in c.1780 and completed in 1803. [img] The engraving was eventually done in 1805 by James Heath (1757-1834), Historical Engraver to George III; in 1801 Heath was the first Englishman to produce lithographic prints in Britain (see Barry to Buchan 21 December 1804).