On the donation of Monet's Water Lilies to the French State
Autograph letter signed.
8vo. 3 pages on bifolium. On stationery with printed address. With autograph envelope.
$7,257.00
In French, to the art critic Arsène Alexandre about the difficult negotiations that led to the donation of Monet's Water Lilies to the French State: "Dear Mr. Alexandre, I answer your letter immediately and want to tell you that you misunderstood me. What I said to you during your visit is agreed. About the gift I want to make to the State, and about the work you agreed to do for Mr. Bernheim, but I was wrong to let myself go at a time of discouragement and misunderstood in the nervous state I was in. Believe me, I only asked you to give me a few days of respite in order to take advantage of the few beautiful days we have. Finally to save the few paintings that I have undertaken but I see and regret infinitely that you have misunderstood my intentions. I ask you again, give me a few days and we can talk usefully again. Believe in my best feelings [...]" (transl.).
Arsène Alexandre, who was a civil servant at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts at the time, was one of the first officials to contact Monet for his donation.
