Object of the Day: Ter Borch’s “The Letter”

This is obviously not the original “The Letter” by Gerard Ter Borch (also known as Terburg or Terboch). The original was painted between 1660 and 1662 and was purchased in 1814 by King George IV. It remains in the Royal Collection with another similar painting by the much beloved Dutch painter whose tenderly rendered genre scenes of domestic life were highly prized for centuries.


This is a late Nineteenth Century to early Twentieth Century reproduction of the famous painting. Expertly reproduced on board, this shows the increasing ability of Nineteenth Century printing companies to accurately depict the colors and textures of original paintings. Displayed in a hand-stenciled, ebonized wooden frame, it may not be the original, but it’s an interesting look into the history of the decorative arts.

I found this object several years ago while on a trip to Louisiana with my family and Bertie.

The original in The Royal Collection.