PUVIS DE CHAVANNES PIERRE: (1824-1898) French Painter. Best known for his works on mural painting. Zola described his work as `An Art made of Reason, Passion and Will´ A very fine A.L.S., `P. Puvis de Chavannes´, three pages, 8vo, Paris, 1^st of June 1892, to Monsieur Renaud, in French. A boldly and cleanly written letter, Puvis de Chavannes tries hard to help someone in need, stating in part `J´ai reçu ce matin la visite d´une pauvre femme bien affligée, Madame Lépine don't le mari est paralysé…sans aucun Espoir d´amélioration. Il lui reste du une somme de deux mille francs sur une commande de la ville, mais il parait qu´on ne peut les toucher faute de présenter l´esquisse destinée au musée d´Auteuil. Or cette esquisse aurait été faite, exposée à l´Hotel de ville, puis aurait disparu. Comment faire?... je le répète, la situation est bien pénible et grave..´ ("This morning I received a visit from a poor and very distressed woman, Madame Lépine, whose husband is paralyzed... without any hope of improvement. He is still due the sum of two thousand francs on an order from the Town hall, but it seems that they cannot get the payment until the painting sketch intended for the Auteuil museum is presented. However, this work was finished, exhibited at the Town Hall, and then would have disappeared. How to do?... I repeat, the situation is very painful and serious..") Puvis de Chavannes further suggests a quick solution and insists on his purpose. Paper with attractive watermark. VG

 

Puvis de Chavannes refers to Stanislas Victor Lépine (1835-1892) French Painter. A pupil of Corot. Lépine passed away three months after the present letter was written.