Brief aan de commissie van de Tentoonstelling van Levende Meesters in Utrecht Possibly 1848

This is a letter, written in 1848, by the Dutch artist Jacobus Hendricus Johannes Nooteboom to the committee of the Exhibition of Living Masters in Utrecht. The letter embodies tensions between artists and the institutions that exhibit their work. Nooteboom's letter proposes a price for exhibiting his painting; a negotiation that underscores the economic realities of artistic practice. The Exhibition of Living Masters was an important annual event in the Netherlands, offering artists a crucial platform for visibility and sales. Nooteboom's approach suggests a delicate dance between artistic integrity and commercial considerations, reflecting how artists navigated the art market and sought recognition within established structures. To fully understand this letter, we need to consider the exhibition's role in shaping artistic careers and public taste, and how artists like Nooteboom strategically engaged with these institutions. Resources like exhibition catalogs, artists’ correspondence, and period reviews provide insight into this relationship. This letter is more than a transaction; it's a window into the social conditions that shape artistic production.