"I am proud that you are willing to claim me as a painter from Bordeaux : indeed, although La Rochelle is my birthplace, it could never have given me the education I received in the school of your city."
1.500€
William Bouguereau (1825.1905)
Autographed letter signed to Baron Sourget, at the School of Fine Arts in Bordeaux.
Two octavo pages on embossed blue paper with his initials. Paris. April 16, 1864.
"I am proud of what you are willing to claim for me as a painter from Bordeaux.". »
Superb letter from Bouguereau honored that the city of Bordeaux – which nurtured his beginnings as an artist – is acquiring his work entitled A Bacchante.
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"Sir, I have two things to thank you for: firstly, for the very kind report you wrote to get the municipal council to buy my painting , and secondly, for the letter informing me that the council voted for this acquisition for the sum of 6000 francs.
I am more touched than I can say by the statement of reasons for the report, and I am proud that you are willing to claim me as a Bordeaux painter : indeed, although La Rochelle is the place of my birth, it could never have given me the education that I found at the school of your city ; and I can also say that nowhere have I received so many proofs of sympathy: so I am very happy, believe me, if I have been able to contribute to the brilliance of your school and it will not depend on my good will to increase it further.
While I am grateful to the city of Bordeaux for what it has done for me, I am no less grateful to those who encourage me: it is so good to feel supported and encouraged by the wishes of one's fellow citizens! I therefore owe you my thanks, especially you, Sir, to the Mayor who, not content with having initiated this acquisition, deigned to pay me a visit in Paris, to the members of the city council, to Messrs. Scott and Charroppin, to all of you, in short, who follow my efforts with such interest and applaud my successes with such kindness. Please accept, Sir, the assurance of my highest consideration and my most sincere thanks. W. Bouguereau.
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A Bacchante (oil on canvas, 115 x 185 cm, painted in 1862) was acquired by the city of Bordeaux at the Salon of the Society of Friends of the Arts, on April 8, 1864. The work is now kept in the city's Museum of Fine Arts.