Eugène BOUDIN (1824-1898). - Lot 24

Eugène BOUDIN (1824-1898). L.A.S., Quimper September 14, 1857, to his parents; 3 pages 24 1/2 in-8° (wet) Trip to Brittany. He is happy to know that everyone is in good health. As for himself, he is doing well "despite copious showers, running on foot or in carts across the country; the continual worry of finding something new, of attending all the pardons, contests, weddings & other dressed-up ceremonies, of getting all these details into my head in order to take advantage of them for my painting"... After unbearable heat, he fell victim to bad weather, but was not discouraged. He had begun views of Quimper, including one commissioned by a wealthy local Englishman, who has since passed away, and who had given him an advance that he had spent collecting beautiful "precious local costumes", but he still needed more, "without which I can do nothing complete". And if he doesn't "fire the cannon of assistance, as Dad says, I'm going to find myself quite embarrassed". He asks his mother to send him some money so that he can return to Le Havre: "I'm in a hurry to go back to the studio to finish & sell my sketched Breton works, which will be better than staying here to wait for the result of bad paintings"... He will leave as soon as he receives the reply, so as to be in Le Havre by the end of the month, gives the prices of game on the markets, and kisses everyone...