Dear Kietz,
I'm writing you about the portrait. In the winter of '50-'51 a local art dealer asked me for permission to have a copy made of the lithograph of my portrait; the lithograph appeared at the time in the fashionable newspaper. The artist also has your old drawing of 1840-41 and asked me for permission to use it. I told him I don't look like that any more; I've gotten older. He then made the face look a little older, and he did this from memory, without my sitting for him, and that's how it appeared here.
Recently a poor devil of a Swabian bothered me to sit for him, so that he could establish himself that way. I gave in and in return for my good nature—I was horrified to see what a specter he made of me and how displeased everyone was. Before this barbarian of a painter began I had, at his request, already written to Breitkopf & Härtel about his preference for a publisher. Since the portrait has been finished I have had to withdraw my good offices, and Härtels answered me that they would postpone their project to add my portrait to their collection until a more opportune occasion. But in Germany—and here also—they want a good picture of me, and I turn to you as the one who can certainly do it best, even if I don't sit for you. Therefore I've written to Härtels today and told them if they still want to publish my portrait to get in touch with you directly and to come to terms with you, for you told me that you'd like to do it. I hope they'll agree to it, and that you will be good enough to tell me occasionally how the matter stands.
Now you mention an "engraving"—do you mean copperplate engraving? At the moment we're only speaking of a lithograph. If it would amuse you to see the thing the Swabian here made of me I'll send it to you: it has a certain portrait likeness, to be sure, only the man is completely incapable of knowing me, and above all he is a bungler.
I've been in the country for two weeks and have begun my cure according to Lindemann's directions: I hope it will do me good, but I expect to find really good signs only very gradually. As soon as the first month of the cure has passed (middle of June), I'll write Lindemann my report as he asked me to do: tell him this and give him my best regards! As a matter of fact, I always feel considerably better as soon as I'm in the country and my work is also proceeding quite nicely.
In my wife I have a stubborn enemy of water, who considers the water cure, like almost everything I undertake, an exaggeration and a stupidity: I don't get anywhere with common sense; even success won't convince her, for she'll attribute that to something entirely different! Minna is well, by the way, and in fine spirits. She wants to be remembered to you and to Anders too. Do you see him any more at all?
How would it be if you'd tell me some more about yourself for a change? If I ever get any money I'll come to Paris after all, in order to meet Lindemann and to sit for an oil portrait by you! Until then—let us wait!
Farewell, slovenly fellow!
Your
R. W.
You need no other address for me than Richard Wagner in Zürich. That is sufficient.
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner: The Burrell Collection, ed. John N. Burk (Macmillan, 1950), No. 119