Turner (Joseph Mallord William, landscape and history painter, 1775-1851) Autograph Letter signed To Hugh Munro, 1p., 8vo, Queen Anne Street West, 'Thursday Morning', n.d., [?1831], "My dear sir, I can have the pleasure of waiting upon you today (to dinner) not tomorrow. I dine with your neighbour Genl Phipps. If I do not hear from you to the contrary I shall be with you at 7 Oclock according to the message I received yesternight, Yours faithfully, J M W Turner", folds, slightly browned.

⁂ Hugh Andrew Johnstone Munro of Novar (1797-1864), the probable recipient of this letter, was an art collector and patron, especially of Turner, of whom he was a close friend, travelling companion, and executor. "His collection of Turners was of ... paramount importance. He owned some dozen oils, twenty or so large drawings, and fifty-five vignettes, all of which fetched high prices at sales from the collection during his lifetime and after his death. Among the more important Turner oils were Venus and Adonis (c. 1803; priv. coll.), Venice from the Porch of Madonna della Salute (1837; commissioned by Munro but not liked by him, later sold, and now in New York, at the Metropolitan Museum), Snow-Storm, Avalanche and Inundation (1837; Art Institute, Chicago), Modern Italy, the Pifferari (Glasgow Art Gallery), and Ancient Italy (1838; priv. coll.). At his death the whole collection, old and modern masters, numbered some 2500. Seven sales by Christies between 1860 and 1878 aroused great public interest". - Oxford DNB.