Raoul Dufy - Two long autograph letters signed on his painting.

Raoul DUFY (1877.1953)

Set of two long autograph letters signed

to the couple of Alfred and Germaine Rome collectors.

Seven pages ½ in-8 ° in total. An autograph envelope.

Slight traces of adhesive on the sidelines.

Vence, July 1 ^, 1920 and Saturday, November 24 [1920]

"I seem to forget my friends, but it is only an appearance, it is for them and for their women that I make pleasant fabrics, that I illustrate books, which I pendulum. »» 

Interesting testimony of the creations of tapestries initiated by Raoul Dufy at the dawn of the 1920s. The artist, overwhelmed with various artistic works, is nevertheless determined to satisfy his faithful collectors.

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"Dear Madam, I get your letter here before I made you polite to announce a shipment. It is true that you were waiting for it! I sent you two sketches that complement each other. You see that there is a wide margin for your interpretation, it is better I believe, especially with an interpreter who is there. I had offered to make you a more to the point, this was what had delayed my shipment. I am happy that you like it and I am sure you will make a beautiful tapestry. I believe that the average size of the wools will be better than the fine.

I am obviously very busy with work and even here I work a lot . I have so much to do and it is so long and so difficult to give yourself a little satisfaction, that it is necessary to undertake many works to lead one by time .

I regret not seeing Monsieur Rome has a visit to Paris. We will go back to Paris by Marseille where I have to make drawings to illustrate a novel by Eugène Montfort and then we will not be able to redo this beautiful trip from last year which left us such a good memory of the beautiful landscapes of the Dauphiné and the so graceful reception that you were kind enough to make us as well as your friends from Grenoble. Believe that it will be a great pleasure for us to taste your cordial hospitality again.

Please present to your husband our best memory and please accept for you, with the good memory of my wife, my tributes very respectful of your Raoul Dufy. »»

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"Dear sir, excuse my delay in answering you. I was thinking of sending you this with the tapestry box that I promised to Madame Rome. I will not be able to do it this evening. I still have a few hours of work to complete my sketch so that it is completely worthy of the shape it will take in the graceful hands that will weave it .

Here are the dimensions of the panel which can be reduced to the convenience of Madame Rome: Width 0 ^m 72 - Height 0 ^m 82 Border included. The border is 0 ^m 05 in width. It can be woven with the panel or reported. I answer Madame Rome about the wool I will send her as she asks me and give her the necessary indications for execution.

I have to come to Grenoble with Poiret, it will surely be in the first days of December. The so good memory that we have kept my wife and I of our stay in your country prompts us strongly on a new trip, but my work so numerous and varied forces me to a diligent labor here .

I can't wait to see my collection of fabrics for ready furnishings and I have almost fully dealt with it for a few months. I made some new compositions and that will like I hope.

I was very happy with the success of Farcy [Pierre-André Farcy, curator of the Grenoble museum] for him and his personal merits and also that he owes his friends in Grenoble.

Also excuse the delay I have made to execute my promise and respond to your letters. I have a lot of delayed correspondence, I seem to forget my friends, but it is only an appearance, it is for them and for their women that I make pleasant fabrics, that I illustrate books, that I pendum [sic]. It is for you dear sir, I do not write to you but I think of you. I send you my good souvenir. Raoul Dufy. »»

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The textile adventure begins, for Dufy, with the designer and decorator Paul Poiret, around 1910; Together, they create furniture clothes and fabrics, but also “hangings” with the same fabric printing process but in dimensions that lead him to work on his patterns in ample compositions, close to that of the tapestries. Like Paul Poiret, Dufy draws models of woolen handbags and silk woven at the Beauvais Manufacture in the late 1920s.