Bidspirit auction | [MONET CLAUDE]: (1840-1926)

[MONET CLAUDE]: (1840-1926) - [MONET CLAUDE]: (1840-1926) French Impressionist Painter. A very interesting content letter sent to Monet by Gustave Larroumet (1852-1903) French art Historian, literary Critic, and Administrator. A.L.S., ` Gustave Larroumet´, two pages, 4to, Paris, 21st April 1890, to ` Monsieur Claude Monet, artiste - peintre, à Giverny, par Vernon (Eure)´, in French. On the printed stationery of the French Republic - Ministry of Beaux-Arts, Larroumet in his capacity as Director of Fine Arts, responds to Monet´s letter regarding Manet´s work L´Olympia, stating in part ` En réponse à la lettre que je vous adressais le 1er Avril, vous me faites savoir, à la date du 5, que ”vous prenez bonne note de la promesse que je vous fais de conserver toujours à Paris, et sous les yeux du public l´Olympia d´Edouard Manet”; vous ajoutez qu´il doit être ”bien entendu qu´en aucun cas l´Olympia ne sera envoyée en province”; enfin vous espérez que M. le Ministre ”voudra bien confirmer l´assurance ” que je vous aurais donnée...´ (Translation: ” In response to the letter I sent you on April 1st, you let me know, on the 5th, that ”you take good note of the promise I make to you to always keep in Paris, and exhibited to the public's eyes, the Olympia by Edouard Manet”; you add that it must be ”of course understood that in no case will the Olympia be sent to the provinces”; finally you hope that Mr. Minister ”will be kind enough to confirm the assurance ” that I have given you...”) Further, Larroumet explains the situation and wishes that Monet understands that there is no guarantee yet, saying ` Je me suis borné à vous dire que l´Administration ”vu l´intérêt de l´oeuvre et les intentions des donateurs s´efforcerait de la conserver toujours à Paris, et sous les yeux du public”. Il ne s´agit donc là que d´une intention bienveillante, mais non d´une promesse ni d´une assurance ...´ (Translation: ” I have limited myself to telling you that the Administration ”given the interest of the work and the intentions of the donors would endeavour to keep it always in Paris, and before the eyes of the public”. This is therefore only a benevolent intention, but not a promise nor a grant ... ”) Further again, Larroumet states that he will forward Monet´s requests to the Minister. The painting will be bought that same year by the French government. With blank integral leaf. VG Edouard Manet (1832-1883) French Painter. A Modernist regarded as a main figure in the transition from Realism to Impressionism. Olympia (1863) is one of Manet´s early wasterworks, being an oil painting depicting Olympia, a nude white woman lying on a bed being attended by a black maid. The painting caused shock and controversy when it was first exhibited at the 1865 Paris Salon, especially because a number of details identified her as a prostitute. The French government acquired the painting in 1890, shortly after the present letter was written, after a public subscription organized by Monet. The painting is at today´s date in the Musée d´Orsay in Paris. As Monet wanted.