Fauvist Artist Maurice de Vlaminck ALS Extending

Fauvist Artist Maurice de Vlaminck ALS Extending Invitation to French Writer

A 1p autograph letter in French by Maurice de Vlaminck (1876-1958), the celebrated Fauvist artist, inscribed overall and twice signed, the first as "Vlaminck" at the conclusion of the letter, and the second as "Maurice" found in the name of the letter recipient on the original transmittal envelope. N.d., but the postmarks indicate a date of around January 3, 1940. Written on stationery with "La Tourillière / Rueil-la-Gadelière / (Eure-&-Loir)" letterhead (probably once bifold, but now a single leaf.) Expected wear including paper folds, toning, and several rusted paper clip marks, else near fine. 6.125" x 7.5." Accompanied by the original transmittal envelope engrossed by de Vlaminck and pre-printed with de Vlaminck's return address. Bearing a cancelled 1 franc green French postage stamp and several hand-stamped and handwritten philatelic markings. Also comes with a color reproduction of Maurice de Vlaminck's "The Canal Locks at Bougival" (1908). Provenance: Ex-Noel Goldblatt (ca. 1926-2003) of the famous Goldblatt's Department Store, to a prominent Los Angeles, California collector.

Maurice de Vlaminck invited Maurice Delamain (1883-1974) to his house, la Tourillière, in the town of Rueil-la-Gadelière approximately 113 km west of Paris. Maurice Delamain was a French author and the onetime literary editor of Éditions Stock-Delamain, a publishing house specializing in books by foreign authors.

Translated in part:

"Do you want to come lunch at la Tourillière with Madame Delamain as well as the children and the Misses Delamain. Your [chosen] day will be ours. It will give us pleasure to see you and we will chat…"

De Vlaminck lived at la Tourillière between 1925 and his death in 1958, and he entertained many French and American expatriate celebrities there, including singer and dancer Josephine Baker, author Georges Simenon, and the actor Bourvil. Along with André Derain and Henri Matisse, Maurice de Vlaminck is considered one of the founders of the Fauvist movement. These artists, with their uncompromising insistence on bright colors and modern forms, shocked the art world after exhibiting at the 1905 Salon d'Automne. Their work was likened to that of "les fauves," or "wild beasts."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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