Highly regarded French painter (1830–1903), one of the leading figures of the impressionist movement, best known for his distinctive pointillist style. ALS in French, signed “C. Pissarro,” two pages on two adjoining sheets, 4.5 x 7, March 24, 1896. Letter to his wife, Julie, about his son Lucien, and his work. In full (translated): “There is the letter from Lucien. As you see, it’s impossible to come help me with the organization of my exhibition. He doesn’t have his papers yet, really too bad. Depeaux came Sunday to see my paintings, he finds the series very nice, but what annoys me is that he can’t make up his mind. Now he wants to see the pictures in frames, so that he could decide. He was going to send me yesterday one of his frames and came today to look at it, I waited yesterday all day for the frames, now I hope they arrive this morning and that he comes at the same time.—If he doesn’t make me wait, for tomorrow I had the instruction to send my 3 crates of paintings discretely to Eragny. I’ll leave by the end of the month, but should like to go to Paris before, to see Parenteau and L. Simon……There is still a little bit of inflammation at the eye that I would like to go before leaving Rouen I want to take some sketches to make etching and lithographies of, and today I am to go to the library to look at some rare manuscripts. Madame Dumesmil who is still in Belgium with her brother Reclus, was kind enough to send me a letter of introduction to the librarian, who is a good friend of hers. I have only just the time to look at a few manuscripts and illuminations which are supposed to be very beautiful…Lucien would have liked to see and study them, but that’s for another time. See you soon, my dear Julie, did you see Cocotte on Sunday?” In fine condition, with several lines of text a shade or two lighter due to decreased ink flow, but still completely legible.
Pissarro composed this letter toward the end of a three-month stay at the Hotel de Paris in Rouen. From his third-floor studio at that temporary residence, he painted different views of the Pont Boieldieu over the Seine—including scenes at sunset, on an overcast day, and in the fog. These major works were almost sold to Francois Depeaux, a major collector and benefactor of the Rouen museum mentioned here. An agreement was never reached, something foreshadowed by the proclamation, “he finds the series very nice, but what annoys me is that he can’t make up his mind. Now he wants to see the pictures in frames, so that he could decide.”
During this same visit to Rouen, Pissarro launched his first real series of urban landscapes after being inspired by the work of Claude Monet, and produced 38 views of the city. A month after writing his wife, these Rouen paintings were part of a well-received exhibition at Paul Durand-Ruel’s gallery in Paris, where he tells his wife he would like to stop before heading to the nearby town of Eragny. The paintings were considered some of the best of his career and provided him with financial security. Pre-certified PSA/DNA and RRAuction COA.
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