MONET CLAUDE: (1840-1926)
MONET CLAUDE: (1840-1926) French Impressionist painter. A.L.S., Claude Monet, three pages, 8vo, Giverny par Vernon, Eure, 25th October 1914, to Miss. Gladys Deacon, on black bordered mourning stationery, in French. Monet writes in bold pencil and expresses his gratitude to Deacon for the kindness and trouble she took in writing to him, remarking ´Ce me sera un grand plaisir d´avoir votre visite lors de votre passage en France. Si les Zeppelins vous le permettent toutefois, mais je suis tranquille à cet égard´ (Translation: ´It will be a great pleasure for me to have you visit during your time in France. If the Zeppelins allow you to, however, but I am reassured in that regard´) and continuing ´Ma belle-fille et moi, sommes bien et avons jusqu´à présent de bonnes nouvelles des parents que nous avons à la guerre. Il y a eu ici à certain moment une terrible et ridicule panique. Tout le monde se sauvait, mais nous avions, quant à nous, bien décidé de rester ici quoi qu´il arrive et nous avons bien fait´ (Translation: ´My daughter-in-law and I are well and have so far received good news from our relatives who are at war. There was a terrible and ridiculous panic here at one point. Everyone was fleeing, but we, for our part, had firmly decided to stay here come what may, and we were right to do so´). Monet concludes by again thanking Deacon for her kind thoughts, adds that he and Blanche both look forward to seeing her soon, and in a postscript writes ´Vous voudrez bien m´excuser de vous écrire au crayon. J´ai une si mauvaise écriture qu´avec la plume cela devient illisible´ (Translation: ´Please excuse me for writing to you in pencil. My handwriting is so poor that when I use a pen it becomes illegible´). Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Monet. A letter of good association, and one of only three that Monet is known to have written to Deacon. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, and a couple of slight traces of former mounting to the final, fourth side of the bifolium, otherwise VG
Gladys Deacon (1881-1977) Duchess of Marlborough. French-born American aristocrat and socialite, the mistress and later the second wife of Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. The Duchess has been described as artistic and a keen gardener (a passion shared by Monet) and, after her marriage to the Duke of Marlborough, had enlarged images of her startling blue-green eyes painted on the ceiling of the main portico of Blenheim Palace, where they remain today.
Blanche Hoschede Monet (1865-1947) French painter, wife of Jean Monet and thus both the stepdaughter and daughter-in-law of Claude Monet. Blanche enjoyed a fond relationship with her father-in-law who trained and encouraged her as an artist.
Monet´s letter is written shortly after the outbreak of World War I in July 1914. The artist´s second son, Michel Monet (1878-1966), had been declared unfit for active service, but nevertheless volunteered and saw combat with the French Army, notably at the Battle of Verdun in 1916. Monet´s stepson, Jean-Pierre Hoschedé (1877-1961), also served in the French military alongside Michel during the war.
Provenance: Previously with Maggs Bros. Ltd of London (their catalogue 1039 of Autograph Letters & Historical Documents, item 126, 1983) and originally offered with the two other recorded letters of Monet to Deacon, dated 2nd May 1914 and 17th July 1916.
MONET CLAUDE: (1840-1926) French Impressionist painter. A.L.S., Claude Monet, three pages, 8vo, Giverny par Vernon, Eure, 25th October 1914, to Miss. Gladys Deacon, on black bordered mourning stationery, in French. Monet writes in bold pencil and expresses his gratitude to Deacon for the kindness and trouble she took in writing to him, remarking ´Ce me sera un grand plaisir d´avoir votre visite lors de votre passage en France. Si les Zeppelins vous le permettent toutefois, mais je suis tranquille à cet égard´ (Translation: ´It will be a great pleasure for me to have you visit during your time in France. If the Zeppelins allow you to, however, but I am reassured in that regard´) and continuing ´Ma belle-fille et moi, sommes bien et avons jusqu´à présent de bonnes nouvelles des parents que nous avons à la guerre. Il y a eu ici à certain moment une terrible et ridicule panique. Tout le monde se sauvait, mais nous avions, quant à nous, bien décidé de rester ici quoi qu´il arrive et nous avons bien fait´ (Translation: ´My daughter-in-law and I are well and have so far received good news from our relatives who are at war. There was a terrible and ridiculous panic here at one point. Everyone was fleeing, but we, for our part, had firmly decided to stay here come what may, and we were right to do so´). Monet concludes by again thanking Deacon for her kind thoughts, adds that he and Blanche both look forward to seeing her soon, and in a postscript writes ´Vous voudrez bien m´excuser de vous écrire au crayon. J´ai une si mauvaise écriture qu´avec la plume cela devient illisible´ (Translation: ´Please excuse me for writing to you in pencil. My handwriting is so poor that when I use a pen it becomes illegible´). Accompanied by the original envelope hand addressed by Monet. A letter of good association, and one of only three that Monet is known to have written to Deacon. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, and a couple of slight traces of former mounting to the final, fourth side of the bifolium, otherwise VG
Gladys Deacon (1881-1977) Duchess of Marlborough. French-born American aristocrat and socialite, the mistress and later the second wife of Charles Spencer-Churchill, 9th Duke of Marlborough. The Duchess has been described as artistic and a keen gardener (a passion shared by Monet) and, after her marriage to the Duke of Marlborough, had enlarged images of her startling blue-green eyes painted on the ceiling of the main portico of Blenheim Palace, where they remain today.
Blanche Hoschede Monet (1865-1947) French painter, wife of Jean Monet and thus both the stepdaughter and daughter-in-law of Claude Monet. Blanche enjoyed a fond relationship with her father-in-law who trained and encouraged her as an artist.
Monet´s letter is written shortly after the outbreak of World War I in July 1914. The artist´s second son, Michel Monet (1878-1966), had been declared unfit for active service, but nevertheless volunteered and saw combat with the French Army, notably at the Battle of Verdun in 1916. Monet´s stepson, Jean-Pierre Hoschedé (1877-1961), also served in the French military alongside Michel during the war.
Provenance: Previously with Maggs Bros. Ltd of London (their catalogue 1039 of Autograph Letters & Historical Documents, item 126, 1983) and originally offered with the two other recorded letters of Monet to Deacon, dated 2nd May 1914 and 17th July 1916.
