Lot 162

Previous image preload Next image preload

Description:

Henri Matisse Pulls Strings at French Museum

1p typed letter in French signed by modern artist Henri Matisse (1869-1954) as "Henri Matisse" appearing below his typed signature at bottom. Also inscribed with almost ten words in Matisse's hand at top. Written in Vence, France on December 26, 1945. On cream paper. Expected light paper folds and a few bent corners, else near fine. The letter is displayed to the left of a color reproduction of Matisses's The Dance, ca. 1909. Strikingly presented in a cream mat enhanced with gilt filet measuring 18.625" x 12.25" x .5" overall.

Matisse's correspondent is unidentified, but it could have been Jean Dagron of Nice, France, a journalist and art critic. Translation: "[typed] Vence, 26 Dec. 1945 Dear Sir, [inscribed] I lobbied Mr. Salles regarding your candidature. [typed] With my regrets, I forward the letter concerning you from the Director of the French Museums. I hope that the affair of the statue of Maillol is on track to being realized and that thanks to your perseverance the project will be done in the best possible way. I beg that you receive my best wishes for the New Year, and the expression of my best sentiments.

[typed] HENRI MATISSE [signed] Henri Matisse." This letter reveals that, in addition to being one of twentieth-century's France most talented artists, Matisse also lobbied on behalf of this work associates. In this way, he used his tremendous influence to advance his friends' careers.

Aristide Maillol (1861-1944) was a French sculptor, painter, and printmaker best known for his monumental sculptures of nude recumbent figures. The context of the letter suggests that the correspondent was contemplating undertaking a statue depicting Maillol--or one inspired by the latter's works--since Maillol had died two months before in an automobile accident.

Several years after this correspondence, and despite being bed-ridden and wheelchair-bound following abdominal cancer surgery, Matisse completed one of his self-proclaimed masterpieces: the decoration of the Chapel of the Rosary in Vence between 1948-1951. Matisse's convalescence led him to experiment with decoupage. The chapel for a chapter of Dominican nuns would later be entirely decorated by Matisse, literally from floor to ceiling. Matisse's design can be seen in the roof, doors, murals, stained glass, fonts, ecclesiastical garments, crucifix, and candlesticks.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

Accepted Forms of Payment:

American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Paypal, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house worldwide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses who proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with signature required, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third Party Shipping Option: If a third party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third party Please copy and paste this following link into your browser: http://universityarchives.com/UserFiles/ShippingInfo.pdf. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

June 22, 2022 10:30 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of up to 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000