[Eugène BOUDIN]. - Lot 34

[Eugène BOUDIN]. J. VALLS, collector, one of Boudin's first buyers. L.A.S., Paris May 13, 1855, to Eugène Boudin; 4 pages in-8°. Very interesting letter from the collector, who begins by berating Boudin for his delay: "It is just a month [...] since I asked you for the fish painting; you have not yet got your canvas. From the eagerness you're showing, your work isn't close to completion. [...] Let us leave this subject on which I so easily rise to anger, more because of you, who would so easily rise to fame if you would take advantage of your youth and deploy some energy, than because of me, who will never have any other merit than that of having known how to appreciate you"... He worries about the art market: "The modern school of painting is gaining adherents every day, passionate amateurs are swarming, prices have almost tripled for certain artists we love, they are enriching themselves with glory and money. Despite the war and general malaise, their canvases are being showered with gold coins. A few amateurs, who were lucky enough to buy a few years ago, are taking advantage of the high prices and selling their collections". Yesterday, he attended the sale of the collection of the "rich Jew" Halphen, where he was only able to buy two paintings: a tiger by Delacroix and a sketch by Diaz. He comments on some of the paintings presented, and gives the bids, which he finds very high: Rousseau, Jules Dupré, Guillemin, Millet "always ignoble in his subjects, an ugly girl looking for fleas in papier-mâché sheets", Rosa Bonheur, Corot, Diaz, 10 "miserable little men by Meissonnier", 5 Troyon which "has tripled in value", and so on. He hadn't planned to buy, but in view of the soaring prices he was afraid "I'd never realize my desire to have a specimen of each of our great masters, if I didn't buy now"... He leaves for Paul Barroilhet, who wants to buy his great Rousseau: "As I've never liked this painting very much, I'll probably let him have it". An hour later, back from Barroilhet's, where he had bought the painting, he hurriedly asked Boudin to take immediate charge of the transport: go to his house to take the painting's measurements, obtain a crate for transport, protect it and pack it according to his instructions (sketch in support), as he wanted the parcel to leave Paris tomorrow: "If I take the liberty of giving you this trouble, it's because I want the packaging to be well cared for, so that my painting runs no risk of being punctured or the edge damaged"... Finally, he asked his opinion of this great Rousseau: was he right to sell it? He adds: "Don't tell anyone I buy paintings, it would hurt me a lot". ATTACHED: a L.A. (the end is missing) from Eugène Boudin (1 p. in-8). He is resolved to give up his artistic career. At the moment of taking a "heroic resolution", he addresses himself to him, to whom he owes "in part the short moment of success I enjoyed in this good city of Le Havre". He had done everything to earn his reputation, but fans were jaded, and he could no longer sell enough to live on: "We must abandon this career in the struggle we have to sustain against misery and hardship; it's really too heavy", especially being deprived of resources and support: "this year is really a bad year for us". All his meagre savings have gone penny by penny: "Today everything is exhausted, and since I absolutely don't want to continue such an arduous career, I've come to you to ask if I wouldn't be in a position to fill a job of some kind".