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ALS in French, four pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.5 x 7, no date. Handwritten letter to a gentleman, in part: "I am not as silent as you think, for as soon as I read your admirable article in the newspaper, I took up my pen and wrote you four pages. It is true that after rereading it, I found myself so…filled with admiration and denial that I tore it all up. I then wrote a letter to Mrs. Havemeyer about your article (which I am sending her), and there, at least in English, I was able to say what I thought. Like me, she will know what you say about Cézanne and will be delighted by the allusion to Louise Collet. With Gauguin, it will always be difficult for me to comment. I knew him in his early days. I know that I was mistaken about Toulouse-Lautrec. But he's not a painter. In short, I see Degas as nothing but the absolute greatest artist of all time, and on that point we agree.
Mrs. Havemeyer tells me that some people wanted to borrow her Degas for an exhibition where Monet would have the honor of a large room and Degas a small one next door; she refused, because, she says, 'Degas must have first place.' The poor man must be suffering right now, but why is he? How glad I am not to see him during this crisis. I sent you an article…about the purchase of the Velázquez. You saw that Mr. Duret gave it a passable review! The Boston museum paid $51,000 for that limping copy, and the El Greco is still for sale. Since Mr. Pierpont Morgan is not the director of the New York museum, we hope he will buy it for his museum. Goya's Balcony is about to return from the framer, and we mustn't let it leave for New York before seeing it—what a versatile artist!
Here I am in the rain, thinking about these great geniuses, especially Poussin, and wondering why I spend my days working. How kind of you to have gone to see our representative. I'm ashamed that you went to so much trouble to honor me when you have serious matters to attend to. One last word about your article. If the jury system in Fine Arts ever seemed plausible to me, reading your article has converted me. How can one artist judge another contemporary artist? It's madness to believe one can be fair when one has such different opinions. If so, then what about the articles that perhaps don't take them into account?" In fine condition.
Notably, Degas served as one of Cassatt's chief mentors in Paris. He invited her to exhibit in the third Impressionist exhibition in 1877, and introduced her to pastel and engraving. For her part, Cassatt was instrumental in helping Degas to sell his paintings and promote his reputation in America. A remarkable artistic letter, filled with significant associations.
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