Eugène BOUDIN is delighted not to rub shoulders with the impressionists.

Eugene Boudin (1824.1898)

Autograph letter signed to the American painter Frederic Porter Vinton.  

Three pages in-8°. Tiny tear at the central fold.

Deauville. August 25, 1890.

“You won’t find any impressionists here – fortunately. »

Superb letter from Boudin inviting the American painter to join him in Deauville, while decrying the Impressionists.

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“Dear Mr. Vinton, I would have delayed responding to your kind letter, despite all the pleasure it gave me. For two weeks I have had so many worries. Travel; then to top it off, a rheumatic cold which took away all my energy and kept me in bed for several days. I wanted to write to you after the shopping, to inform you that you will find in Deauville everything you could want in terms of house at the lowest price. I would have done it without this attack from which fortunately I recovered, but perhaps you have already changed your plans.

Anyway we would be happy to see you share our solitude. I say solitude – relative – because apart from a modest colleague who sometimes makes us company, we hardly know the locals and you will be welcome if you decide to come here to spend a few weeks. However, I dare not promise you a very favorable season. For two weeks the weather has become impossible. Wind, rain, and even cold; we suffer all the miseries of time. This is perhaps a reason to hope for better from the month of September! but what a year!

You won't find the slightest impressionist here – fortunately – but how wide it goes! It's the oil stain. We'll talk about all that if you come here, but don't worry about accommodation. It would even be possible that you find, if it suits you, a landlady who could take care of cooking and cleaning for you. Life here is quite easy. I would only fear for you, the distance from the countryside… but after all the means of transport are very convenient (…) The countryside is very beautiful in the surrounding area, if this landscape tempts you .

We will talk about the paintings you tell me about. At the moment I am way behind in my work. Alas, time passes so quickly, so quickly . Assure Madame Vinton of our respects (…) If you decide to come and spend a few weeks here, write to us (…) we will look for a pleasant house for Madame Vinton. Your very devoted friend. E. Boudin. »

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Boudin's teasing comment, within the letter, on impressionist artists is interesting. Indeed, although Boudin exhibited his work at the first Impressionist exhibition in 1874, he never considered himself an integral part of the movement. The same goes for Frederic Porter Vinton (1846.1911). Although his work is often perceived as impressionist, Vinton himself did not identify with this artistic movement.

The Vintons met Eugène Boudin, Camille Pissarro and Alfred Sisley during their eighteen-month trip to Europe in 1889-1890. Vinton had visited France, Italy, Holland and England, studying the work of artists from each country. During the Vintons' trip, Boudin dedicated three paintings to Vinton. Vinton later purchased a large group of Boudin paintings offered for sale at the Chase Gallery in Boston.

We know of a beach scene created by Boudin in 1890 entitled Trouville, beach scene signed and dedicated “ to Madame Vinton Souvenir 1890 Trouville ”