An archive of letters, photographs, catalogues and address book, from the estates of Marion Melville (1903-1984) and Agnes Ethel Mackay (1889-1980). Marion Mackay was the daughter of Scottish artist, Arthur Melville (1855-1904) and Ethel Melville nee Croall (1872-1917). When Melville died at the age of 49, Ethel Melville married the artist, Theodore Roussell (1847-1926), with Roussell adopting Marion Melville and taking her cousin for good measure, who later became his studio assistant. When Roussell died, Marion and Ethel left for Paris and St Tropez, Marion going on to write on the Knights Templars and Agnes to write poetry, fiction and a biography of Arthur Melville. Melville had been a close friend of the artist, W Graham Robertson (1866-1948), and after his death his daughter, Marion become a muse to Robertson who created a book for her. Included in this archive are a pair of copy letters referencing Robertson unorthodox affections towards Melville. Also included are Melville and Mackay’s address book, highlighting relationships with a number of interesting figures including Ethel Smyth, Edith Sitwell, Philippa Strachey, Ethel Walker, Siegfried Sassoon, Leonard Woolf, Duncan Grant, John Duncan Ferguson and[Marc] Andre Raffalovich. The correspondence is largely with members of the Roussell family and other friends, though there are several pertaining to paintings left by Arthur Melville. The photographs are mainly family photographs, including a number of Marion Melville and Agnes Mackay in St Tropez in the 1930’s.
An archive of letters, photographs, catalogues and address book, from the estates of Marion Melville (1903-1984) and Agnes Ethel Mackay (1889-1980). Marion Mackay was the daughter of Scottish artist, Arthur Melville (1855-1904) and Ethel Melville nee Croall (1872-1917). When Melville died at the age of 49, Ethel Melville married the artist, Theodore Roussell (1847-1926), with Roussell adopting Marion Melville and taking her cousin for good measure, who later became his studio assistant. When Roussell died, Marion and Ethel left for Paris and St Tropez, Marion going on to write on the Knights Templars and Agnes to write poetry, fiction and a biography of Arthur Melville. Melville had been a close friend of the artist, W Graham Robertson (1866-1948), and after his death his daughter, Marion become a muse to Robertson who created a book for her. Included in this archive are a pair of copy letters referencing Robertson unorthodox affections towards Melville. Also included are Melville and Mackay’s address book, highlighting relationships with a number of interesting figures including Ethel Smyth, Edith Sitwell, Philippa Strachey, Ethel Walker, Siegfried Sassoon, Leonard Woolf, Duncan Grant, John Duncan Ferguson and[Marc] Andre Raffalovich. The correspondence is largely with members of the Roussell family and other friends, though there are several pertaining to paintings left by Arthur Melville. The photographs are mainly family photographs, including a number of Marion Melville and Agnes Mackay in St Tropez in the 1930’s.
