With greetings from London: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and his mother Adèle

Toulouse-Lautrec, Henri de, French painter and illustrator (1864-1901). Autograph letter signed ("Henri").

€ 4,500.00

Charming and insightful letter to his mother Adèle sent from a surprise visit to London, where he accompanied his old friend, the art dealer Maurice Joyant. Toulouse-Lautrec expresses high hopes for a coming exhibition at the Goupil Gallery in London, organized by Joyant, citing his friend's successful publication of an album of drawings by Degas (Edgar Degas, Vingt dessins 1861-1896. Paris, Boussod, Manzi, Joyant et Cie). He reports on the preparations for Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee on 22 June 1897, describing London as being "turned over to the carpenters who install grandstands reaching up to the chimneys to see the gracious old lady pass by". In closing, Toulouse-Lautrec announces the completion of his move to 5, Avenue Frochot for his return to Paris and thanks his mother for clothes and 500 francs. The letter in full: "Ma chère Maman, vous allez être un peu étonnée de me savoir en bombe à Londres pour deux jours. J'ai accompagné mon ami Joyant qui installe son associé Londonien. J'ai vu pas mal d'affaires se conclure et ai bon espoir pour mon exposition de l'année prochaine. Pour vous citer un exemple, le maôtre Degas ayant autorisé la publication d'un album de ses œuvres à 1000 f. l'exemplaire, j'ai vu 34 souscriteurs affluer dans la même après-midi. Londres est livré aux charpentiers qui installent des gradins jusque sur les cheminées pour voir passer la gracieuse vieille dame. Quant à moi je rentre à Paris pour terminer mon déménagement. Heureuse perspective. Merci des 500 f. et des vêtements, bien arrivés. Je vous embrasse en anglais, yours [...]".

The exhibition at the Goupil gallery in May 1898 would be Toulouse-Lautrec's largest individual exhibition with 78 works on display, but was far from the success for which he had hoped.

Maurice Joyant (1864-1930) and Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec were schoolmates at the famous Lycée Concordet and reconnected in 1888. In 1890, Joyant succeeded Théo van Gogh as director of the Parisian Goupil gallery. On behalf of Toulouse-Lautrec's parents, Maurice Joyant was chosen as executor of Henri's will in 1901.

Traces of former mounting affecting parts of the text; three tears to the folds and margins. Some browning and somewhat stained.