René Magritte wrote to the collector Joseph Capel.

René Magritte (1898.1967)

Autographed letter signed to the collector Joseph Capel.

Two octavo pages on blue paper. Some foxing. Brussels. June 29, 1960.

"I think I'll do another version of this painting..."

Magritte decides to recreate a destroyed painting.

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"Dear Sir, Thank you for your letter of June 20th, which I received today. Your friend did indeed bring me the painting, which was too damaged for me to repair. I think I will paint a variation of this painting, as it would be a shame if the idea remained so insensitive, with this damaged paint making life difficult for it. To replace this painting, I gave your friend a gouache that I hope you will like. I read your letter of March 27th with great interest; it did not bore me as you fear. However, this fear is necessary, in my opinion: otherwise, one would have a rather foolish certainty about what one has tried to think, and about which it is impossible to say anything definitive. The country where you live is very beautiful, I have no doubt. Thank you for your kind invitation, which I would accept if possible." "The day I can take a really big trip, it will be to Argentina that I'll buy a ticket. Until then, I can hardly think of any expeditions other than going to Boisfort, or even Knokke! Or perhaps occasionally to Paris."