André BRETON cites the surrealist precepts of Marcel DUCHAMP.

André Breton (1896.1966)

Autograph letter signed to Maurice Fourré.

Two pages in-4°.

Paris. December 15, 1950.

“In surrealism, we happily live on this pragmatic idea, recently stated by Marcel Duchamp, that an insulting article of 21 lines is preferable to a panegyric of 20 lines. »  

André Breton provides his friendly support to Maurice Fourré, desperate for the attacks and criticisms received following the publication of his first novel.

_________________________________________________________________

“Dear Sir and Friend, I feel you are somewhat affected by the perfidies of certain reports and press reports ; I should have warned you that they were inevitable and enjoined you not to part with your admirable serenity for so little. This venom has been exerted too persistently against me for me not to have been immune for a long time , but I can imagine that this personally surprises you and even affects you. Mr. Rousseaux, from Le Figaro littéraire , has been lying in wait for me for some time and is trying to reach me if necessary by ricochet: nothing too serious. The Saillet and Nadeau, since “Flagrant Délit”, are even more malicious. And what about the Opéra interfilet ? It is enough to know that this newspaper now has as its director the former director of France-Dimanche : to compete with his past you think he will have to go beyond the limits of infamy. All I regret is that this happened before your eyes.

In surrealism, we happily live on this pragmatic idea, recently stated by Marcel Duchamp, that an insulting article of 21 lines is preferable to a panegyric of 20 lines (and indeed perhaps 40). We also maintain no relationship with journalistic or even “literary” circles (this is why I have never been seen at Gallimard receptions and the letters that imprudent correspondents send me to the “Société des men of letters” were returned to them with the mention: “Unknown”.) I hope, dear Mr. Fourré, that the sad actions of which we are speaking will leave your luminous path untouched. Yours wholeheartedly, André Breton. »

_________________________________________________________________

Maurice Fourré (1876.1959) began his career as a writer at the respectable age of 74, with the publication of his novel La Nuit du Rose-Hôtel in the “Révélation” collection specially created by André Breton at Gallimard. Fourré will remain the first and final author of this collection inaugurated by Breton.

Novel-poem with erotic overtones La Nuit du Rose-Hôtel aroused an enthusiastic welcome from Gaston Bachelard and Jean Cocteau, but was shunned by the public.

Strongly marked by this failure and by the criticism, Fourré nevertheless wrote three other novels before his death in 1959.