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HATTIE CARNES : 1869 SUPER, ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT EUROPEAN TRAVEL DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY THE EXCEEDINGLY BRIGHT YOUNG GIRL WHO IS THE NIECE AND WARD OF HER FAMOUS AMERICAN ARTIST UNCLE

16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. On offer is an original manuscript travel journal of a young woman who is closely related to two of America's significant art figures of the 19th Century. Measuring 6 inches by 3.5 inches, the journal contains 60 pages. It is approximately 66 percent complete. The covers and pages are in good condition. However, several pages are loose within the journal. The handwriting is legible. The journal is a record of Hattie Carne's trip to Italy in 1869. Hattie Carnes was born in 1858. She and her brother were orphaned after her father died in 1860 and her mother in 1863. She was raised by her uncle and aunt, Henry Grant DeForest and his wife Julia. They were a very prosperous New York family. Both her uncle Frederic Edwin Church and de Forest's son Lockwood de Forest were prominent artists. In 1868, de Forest took his family on an extended tour of Europe. On that tour, they were frequently joined by Hattie's uncle, Frederic Church. Hattie was 11 at the time and has obviously been well-schooled. This is the journal she kept. The journal is chock full of the details of each day's exploring. The diary begins Mar 15th, 1869, after they have been in Europe for several months. Keep in mind, these are the words and descriptions of an 11 year old. Describing a museum she visited, she wrote: "... we went to the room where they keep their most precious things. There were necklaces, earrings, bracelets and perfume bottles. And beautiful silver mirrors. Ivory images covered with gold and painted. ... " [Mar 20]. As they tour, she visits galleries and museums, soaking up the aesthetic delights that served her uncle Frederic and her cousin Lockwood so very well. "I think I have seen and done quite enough today. In the morning I stayed at home and in the afternoon I went to the museum with Aunt Julia. We saw the statues and frescoes but it would be impossible to tell about each 1 only... " [Mar 22]. She then goes on to try to enumerate them in detail. "Went in the morning to church & in the afternoon to the tomb of philopapus" [Apr 11]. For an art historian, this is an excellent view of what were considered 'must see' cultural / artistic exhibits. Considering that she was living in and amongst two of America's great artists, this also offers an insight into what was considered important within their artistic circle. A social historian would certainly be able to compare the lifestyle and quality of life of this girl relative to that experienced by the vast majority of girls her age in the United States at this time.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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