André BRETON discusses surrealism with Joë BOUSQUET.

André Breton (1896.1966).

Autographed letter signed to Joë Bousquet.

One and a half pages in quarto on onion skin paper. Autograph envelope, stamped and postmarked.

[Paris]. September 8, 1934.

« I decided to send you the Kandinsky watercolor I mentioned and a sanguine drawing by Derain. »

A very beautiful, friendly letter between these two leading figures of the Surrealist movement. Breton – who a few months earlier had expelled Salvador Dalí from the movement – ​​discusses with his friend the Surrealist journal Minotaure founded by Albert Skira, the launch of the journal Documents 34, and his desire to follow up on his principle expressed in Nadja “ Beauty will be convulsive or it will not be.”

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"My dear friend, I have most scandalously left Paris without sending you what you were perhaps expecting, and which I am only now posting. I beg your pardon, but as I told you, I was exhausted, and besides, I only intended to spend three or four days by the water, no more. Even more outrageous is that I did not write to you sooner, telling you how much pleasure your letter gave me, quite apart from the invaluable you rendered me."

 I read this letter carefully, though sometimes with some unease, like so many other things you have written, and most recently your admirable response to the "Minotaur" survey. If you will allow me, I will also make use of your communication concerning this rather frightening, now, metal wolf.

I do indeed intend to give a fairly long sequel to "Beauty Will Be Convulsive" and to "The Equation" of "Documents 34" , due to the very singular events which have filled these last months for me and have notably resulted in my marriage.

I think you will take some interest in this, because it touches on what we probably have most in common, which is also (although sometimes, I understand very well, you seem to doubt it) what I value most when I consider myself with some rigor.

I've decided to send you the Kandinsky watercolor I mentioned and a Derain sanguine drawing that I really like. I think one of these might appeal to the people you mentioned, and that you'll like to keep the other.

I was afraid of burdening you with a canvas (of 40) by Picabia, of rather wild execution and, on the other hand, the butterflies by Max Ernst which I had told you about participated to a certain extent in the technique of collage which, you tell me, would have caused an unnecessary sensation among your friends.

You would give me great pleasure if you would tell me whether I have made any mistake in this way: in any case, you would only need to express any regret whatsoever for me to send you something that seems more desirable. My dear friend, I thank you again from the bottom of my heart. Please write to me from time to time. Believe in my most affectionate devotion. André Breton.

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Documents 34, dedicated to Surrealism, was launched in Brussels “B. What is your painting? T. It’s a little white smoke. B. What is Brittany? T. It’s a fruit eaten by wasps. B. What do you prefer? T. It’s a reflection on the water. B. What is physical love? T. It’s half the pleasure. B. What is old age? T. It’s a coward.”