Alfred Sisley was disenchanted by his exhibition at Georges Petit's gallery in 1897.

Alfred Sisley (1839- 1899)

Autograph letter signed to Georges Charpentier [?].

Three pages in-12°.

Moret-sur-Loing. February 17, 1897.

“…of all the people who lent me their paintings, you are the one who made yourself most completely and kindly available to me.”

Remarkable letter from the Impressionist painter, dismayed: Sisley apologizes to a collector who lent canvases for his exhibition at Georges Petit's that he did not receive an invitation.

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“ Dear Sir, I am sorry for what has happened. [Georges] Petit was to send the invitations and cards to the exhibitors, and to you in particular , as soon as the printer, who is at his home, delivered them. I say to you in particular because, of all the people who have lent me their paintings, you are the one who has been most completely and kindly at my disposal ; who has had the most inconveniences; and for whom this exhibition has caused the most expense.”

Therefore, dear Sir, I beg you not to hold me responsible for all these inconveniences, which would undoubtedly not have occurred had the opening of the exhibition not been affected by the proximity of the Vever auction house. Please accept, dear Sir, my sincere apologies and the expression of my warmest regards. A. Sisley. P.S. I was informed of [Georges]

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In 1896, following a dispute between Sisley and Durand-Ruel, Georges Petit became the painter's official dealer. It was in his gallery, located on the rue de Sèze, that a retrospective exhibition was dedicated to the British artist, from February 5 to 28, 1897. Petit was very optimistic about its success; Sisley contacted several collectors of his works to ask them to lend him his best canvases.

The exhibition opened on February 1st ^for a period of one month; 146 canvases and 6 pastels were presented and, although the exhibition focused mainly on the work of the 1880s and 1890s, there were some early canvases in the catalogue.

The opportunity seemed opportune to assess Sisley's contribution to Impressionism, and, as Petit surely thought, to acquire his works.

Sisley's hopes had been bolstered by the recent successes of his friends. Numerous retrospectives and solo exhibitions in previous years had solidified the Impressionists' position. The Renoir and Pissarro retrospectives in 1892 were indeed successful, including financially, particularly for Renoir; Monet's Rouen Cathedral paintings in 1895 were very well received, and Berthe Morisot, who exhibited at Boussod and Valadon, was surprised by the number of sales and the glowing press.

At the end of the exhibition, Sisley unfortunately had to face a bitter and painful realization: the exhibition was a fiasco; not a single painting had been sold!