Handwritten letter in French by Claude Monet, one page, 5.25 x 12, August 17, 1873. Unsigned letter pertaining to the business side of being an artist, in part (translated): "I received a letter from Mr. Duret in rather inappropriate terms. I would cancel the deal I made with him, should your cousin still wish to own the paintings in question. I shall be pleased to satisfy your cousin's wish since she likes the paintings and at the same time I should be delighted to show Mr. Duret I am not in his debt when selling him a canvas." In fine condition, with tape reinforcements to reverse. Théodore Duret (1838-1927) was a French journalist, author, and art critic, who despite an apparent ill-conceived request made to Monet, was a stalwart advocate for the Impressionist community. In April 1874, Monet revealed Impression, Sunrise (1873) at an exhibition held by a collective known as the Anonymous Society of Painters, Sculptors, Printmakers, etc. The showing announced the arrival of Impressionism, with Monet's painting and title effectively giving the movement its name. Duret, hard feelings aside, wrote of Monet in 1878: 'If the word Impressionist was…accepted to designate a group of painters, it is certainly the peculiar qualities of Claude Monet's paintings which first suggested it. Monet is the Impressionist painter par excellence.' Letters with Monet discussing the sale of his works of art are quite rare.
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