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When Duncanson returned from London he set up a small studio, but this was not successful, however my uncle and the small group retained their confidence in him and worked up a fund toward another year in London. So he returned to the same academy.
Back again the next year in Cincinnati, he tried another go at a studio, but this time, too, it was not very successful and Duncanson was compelled to find other things to keep going. This was the period, I think, when he was employed at the old Sinton (now Taft) house and the large murals were done. Also, during this period, he worked off and on for my uncle, although he still tried th run the studio intermittently. I am quite sure the painting marked "New Hampshire" was done at this time, when the family took him with them on a summer trip there-to a beautiful tract of mountain land owned by my uncle's wife's family and on which they had built a large summer house. This was knoun as White's Mountain, White being the family name. This had no connection with the White mountains.
On another summer trip the family took Duncanson with them to the then beautiful Lake Pepin on the upper Mossissippi River in Minnesota, where my mother's mother's branch of the Williamson family (Huntington) owned some property. Here is where, I am sure, Duncanson painted the landscape marked "Minnesota". Duncanson rarely included people in his paintinga, but in this one you will notice three children, who were William, Jane and Ellen (Nelly) Williamson, the children of my great uncle. I think Duncanson put them in the painting because of his feeling for them as I am sure he must have had a lot to do with their bringing up. My cousin always spoke of him with the greatest regard.
Unfortunately, as far as I ever heard from my cousin, Duncanson never achieved much in the way of fame or fortune while living. This, I think, is so often true of landscape painters: a portrait painter, doing a fine likeness of a well known person, is made, but a fine landscape usually means just bread and butter for the painter. Only after death will he be accorded fame.
Going back to the original purpose of this letter: the question of the disposition of the Duncanson paintings- I am eighty-five, very active in every way except with some people I should use a hearing aid. Lately I began to think about getting my affairs in better shape, so with this in mind some three years ago, I sold my desirable 800 acre farm with over a mile of beautiful and useful water front on the Yeopim River to some close friends. As you no doubt know, inheritance taxes on the old low cost socalled family type farm are now so high that the farm often has to be sold to pay the taxes. As I am single with no dependents, I am a sitting duck for the tax people. With this in mind, we spread the payments over seven years, to stay just below what are commonly called the upper tax brackets. The rates in these upper brackets, I think, are deadly and unfair.
With the sale of the paintings, my taxes, both federal and state, would be jumped up on all the rest of my income due to the farm sale, for the one year, figuring roughly six thousand additional on federal and roughly three thousand on state. This does not include the taxes to be levied on the paintings sale. Even so, I would much prefer, considering age and the probablility of higher taxes each year, to complete the sale of the paintings this year. I just am not disposed to pay all this added tax burden to complete the sale, so I will offer to sell the four Duncanson paintings
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Ms. Sylvia Lyons Render invites you to join her at home [redacted information]
on Sunday, September 25 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Regrets only 765-4215 Evenings By September 18
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Answered 10/17/77
October 6, 1977
Dear Professor Driskell,
I hope this letter finds you and your family well. As I promised during our meeting, I am writing to fill you in on the progress I am making. School has begun and I can see myself making headway towards graduation. I hope to make this year an overall progressive experience.
When we spoke in your office, I mentioned I would be taking an independent reading course under Tom Leavitt at the Johnson Museum. In addition to the independent study, I am taking his course in Museum Techniques, offered for art history majors and museum guides. I showed Leavitt your course outline and bibliography and asked him if I could follow that in preparation for a paper. He agreed and I told him I would get back to him in late October with a topic. In reviewing the course outline I see the need for guidance in the readings; I don't know quite how to proceed. If you could please drop me a note and let me know how I might approach this, I would appreciate it.
In addition to Leavitt's course, I am taking a course in 19th and 20th century art, with Professor Hobbs, professor of Modern Art and Curator of Modern Art at Johnson Museum. For an extra 2 hour independent project I am suppose to prepare a paper from the area covered. This is a general survey course and covers quite an expansive area and amount of time in one semester. So, you can see I need some real direction in terms of my placing emphasis on the Afro-American artistic experience during this time. Your course work and the course for Leavitt are 19th century emphasis and I have an interest in the Romantic movement during that time; What would you suggest be my
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milwaukee inner city arts council, inc
October 7, 1977
Dr. David Driskell [redacted info]
Dear Dr. Driskill:
After reading and hearing numerous words of praise regarding your Tow Centuries of Art Show, that recently toured the United States, I was prompted to write to you about this unique collection of Afro American Art. I have high hopes of the tour being extended and our city of Milwaukee included among some of the cities, which did not view this once in a life time
I am currently planning the activities for our Celebration of Black History week, and I am very interested in the possibility of obtain ing this exhibit to share with our community. I have been told by others that this particular touring exhibit has been discontinued as of August 1977. If this is the case and there will be no other oppor tunities to see this exceptional draftmanship, would you please for ward to me any information, that you may have regarding similar Black Art Exhibits that may be available for viewing in communities other than their origin, ie. loans or rentals.
The Milwaukee Inner City Arts Council is a community based cultural Arts Organization. We provide fine arts training to people of all ages, as well as sponsor various visual and performing arts programs of cultural significance to the midwest region. The two centuries of Black American Art exhibit would expose more of our people to artifacts created by great Black American Artisans and also serve to reinforce racial pride and cultural dignity, that is so often stifled by commercialism and economic deprivation.
642 WEST NORTH AVENUE, MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN PHONE 265-5050
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Oct. 25, 77
from C. Roger Radcliffe
dear Mr. Driskell, my new address is [redacted info] and my phone number is still the same. Thanks again for allowing us to rent your house. I would prefer that you mail the check for 86.50 to me here at the office. Thanks Roger Radcliffe [redacted info]
