Eugène DELACROIX and Liberty Leading the People.

Eugène Delacroix (1798.1863)

Autograph letter signed to the art critic Jules-Joseph Arnoux.

Two pages in-8°. Champrosay. June 9 (no date)

“You were kind enough to give me the two articles of Liberty. »

Delacroix does not want to see Théophile Thoré ousted from the Fine Arts section of the newspaper Le Constitutionnel . He takes the opportunity to thank Arnoux for two articles devoted to Liberty Leading the People .

“My dear friend, All the truly sincere desire I have to do something that would be pleasant to you will not be able to make me approach Véron. [Théophile] Thoré having been aware of your desire and not having responded to it, which would have been easy for him, obviously seems to me to leave his withdrawal from collaboration with the newspaper uncertain. Perhaps not having been prepared for the refusal to work for the Constitutionnel from now on, he will only give it up if we tell him so and frankly it is impossible for me to contribute to this boot be brought to him. To my regret of not being able to serve you, is added that of not having immediately clarified this difficulty with you when I saw you; but I was quite dizzy with the amount of things I had to do when I left and I didn't think. You were kind enough to give me the two articles of Liberty. I don't need to tell you that what you did in my Salon found me very grateful. It was precisely to increase my regret. I therefore thank you while asking you not to take my refusal badly, which I hope will not surprise you too much. Yours sincerely. Ugh. Delacroix. »