Henri de TOULOUSE-LAUTREC – Autograph letter signed on his painting.

Henri from Toulouse-Lautrec (1864.1901)

Autograph letter signed to his grandmother and godmother, Léonce Tapié de Céleyran.

Four pages in-12°. December 28 [1886].

Unpublished letter to the Correspondence, ed. H. Schimmel, Gallimard, 1992.

“I am not at all trying to regenerate French art.”

Beautiful letter from Lautrec, begun in patois, sending his wishes to his godmother, while testifying to the difficulties he faces in the creation of his painting.

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“Beneu, beneu, beneu, toutis en mano!” I am not coming en masse but alone to try to play my part in this great New Year's Day comedy which benefits so much from being played [sic] as a family with screens for wings. I really regretted missing for the first time in 4 years, all the shepherds and pastourelles. Especially since I am not at all trying to regenerate French art . I struggle with unfortunate sheets of paper that have done nothing for me and on which I do no good. I hope things get better in some time. time because I am pitiful!

The Pascals are coming to us and so is Louis [his cousin Louis Pascal, of whom he painted a portrait in 1891, kept in the Albi museum]. I was afraid that his dad was playing a bit of Bogeyman to punish him for a failure that he tried to avoid this time to the best of his ability.

Drelin drelin, here comes the specter of Percy. I kiss you and offer you all the happy new year wishes that I have in my wish list. Please be my ambassador to Uncle Amédée of Aunt Alice and all the cousins ​​and all Armandines [Armandine d'Alichoux de Sénégra]. Tell the latter that I will write to them in particular. I kiss you very, very hard. Your godson and grandson H. de Toulouse Lautrec.”