ALS in French, signed “Lautrec,” one page, 5 x 3, no date but postmarked December 10, 1893. Untranslated letter to publisher and lithographer Andre Marty, asking that he come to the offices of ‘La Justice’ the following day at six o'clock to get matters settled between “Yvette” and “Geffroy.” Lautrec goes on to mention that he is meeting with his printer, Edward Ancourt, in the morning. Also stylisticallly monogrammed “TL” in the lower right corner, and addressed in his own hand on the reverse. A few light creases, brushing to the monogram, a trivial chip to one corner, pencil notation encircling a few words, and mounting traces to the top edge, otherwise fine condition.
Gustave Geffroy was a journalist who wrote for the left-wing paper ‘La Justice,’ and “Yvette” presumably refers to Yvette Guilbert, a singer and actress who was the subject of some of Toulouse-Lautrec's most striking artwork. It is most likely that this meeting had to do with the preparation of the famous 1894 portfolio entitled ‘Yvette Guilbert,’ which was published by Marty and featured text by Geffroy and lithographs by Toulouse-Lautrec. Andre Marty found great success producing limited-edition print portfolios during the 1890s, and ‘Yvette Guilbert’ was conceived as part of a proposed series on Parisian cafe singers (although it was the only one published). Toulouse-Lautrec’s artwork shows scenes from the singer’s daily life, while Geffroy uses the subject as a device to discuss the living and working conditions of her primary audience, members of the Paris working class. An exceedingly desirable letter concerning this important collaborative work. Pre-certified PSA/DNA.
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