Brief aan G.M.C. Hooft, secretaris van de commissie van de Tentoonstelling van Levende Meesters in Den Haag

This letter was written in 1846 by Christiaan Lodewijk Willem Dreibholtz to G.M.C. Hooft, secretary of the exhibition committee of Living Masters in The Hague. It offers a glimpse into the social structures of the art world at the time. Here, Dreibholtz seeks to have his painting, "A still water by morning light near Grandville, with ships," exhibited. His mention of its size and price reveals the practical considerations artists faced. This highlights the institutional power wielded by exhibition committees in shaping artistic careers. The letter also hints at the competitive environment among artists and the importance of patronage. To fully understand this document, one might research the exhibition records of the Living Masters, along with correspondence and biographical information about Dreibholtz and Hooft. Art is not created in a vacuum, but within a network of social, economic, and institutional relationships.