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Saturday Dec. 29" 1883. The weather has moderated a little but it is still cold. Bought some crape this morning and painted the mourning emblems on the bee hives in my picture. I think it is about done now. Began Reichardts second picture and made good progress on it. In the evening I went to the Century. The first thing I encountered on entering the cloak room was Laurence preparing to take Thompson home who was so intoxicated he could hardly speak. Poor fellow. I hear is in this condition the most of the time. I should not be surprised to hear of his death at any time. There was an exhibition of foreign pictures this evening, belonging to members of the club. Some of them poor enough. There were two of Alma Tademas, one of them charming, two figures seated on a marble bench with the blue sea in the background. I saw for the first time one of Herkomers portraits. It was simply outrageous in its slovenliness and Eastman remarked while we were looking at it "the man who will take twenty five hundred dollars for such work is a robber" and I added "The man who pays it is a fool." Avery was there and he came grinning up to where Eastman and I were standing before Alma Tademas picture, as he always takes occasion to do knowing full well how odious he is to me, but I left him abruptly as I always do, bidding Eastman good night and not noticing him. Brayton Ives had a small landscape there by Rousseau which I understood he paid $7.000 for. It was good enough but not striking in any particular and a half dozen of our artists might have done it as well. Eastman cannot go home with me tomorrow as he is going to Philadelphia today.

Sunday 30. Went to the Bartholdi pedestal loan exhibition this morning and spent a couple of hours there. Some of the pictures interested me and many were totally outside my conception of true and sincere art. I met De Haas there and we looked at the pictures together. I merely glanced at the bric a brac. The galleries of the Academy were well filled with visitors at that early hour and I understand there has been a crowd all day. Calvert went up to Yonkers and as Marion is out at Mrs. Wheelers Julia and I dined alone as Mary is still confined to her room. After dinner Julia and I went around to the Century to see the foreign pictures. Was at the Century again this evening. Laurence advises the board of management to suspend Thompson from the privileges of the club, his conduct having caused many complaints. I had a talk with him and Terry who both agreed in recommending this. I have written a letter to Ben Knower asking for an interview with him and I am going to consult him upon the feasibility of getting Thompson to go to an inebriate retreat for a time. I think it is his only salvation. I feel very sorry for him and think I ought to try to save him.

Transcription Notes:
. Bartholdi was a French sculptor and painter ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-23 16:13:30 ---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-05-24 17:32:53 fixed Saturday 30 to Sunday 30 and changed Dr Haas to De Haas (Dutch born American painter who moved to NY)//