Dunoyer de Segonzac, André, French painter and illustrator (1884-1974). 5 autograph picture postcards signed and 2 autograph letters signed.

Paris, Saint Tropez, Signac, Toulon, and n. p., 1920-1971.

Various formats. Altogether 7 pp. With 2 autograph envelopes. 2 postcards mounted together on cardboard.

 800.00

Interesting collection comprising letters to the librarian Julien Cain, the painter and art critic Roland Chavenon, the historian René Héron de Villefosse, and the illustrator and designer Georges Lepape. The earliest letter in the collection with a postmark from 20 March 1920 is addressed to Chavenon, thanking him for his "beautiful book", probably "La part de la nature dans l'art" (Paris 1920) and praising in particular the "chapter dedicated to the decorative arts". A second letter to Chavenon with a Paris postmark from 15 October 1933 accompanied a text for a periodical named "L'Éclaireur", which might be "a bit long".

In a postcard from 23 June 1957, Dunoyer de Segonzac congratulates Georges Lepape (not named) on his exhibition "Paris 09-29" that commemorated the glamorous Parisian life of the years 1909-29 through its decorative arts. Dunoyer de Segonzac expresses his hope that the youth will learn about the 'spring of the century'.

The longest letter in the collection, dated 23 August 1963, was certainly addressed to René Héron de Villefosse. Dunoyer de Segonzac congratulates the historian on his forthcoming book "L'Ile de France" (Paris, 1966) and lays out his ideas for illustrations, while criticising existing designs: "L'illustration graphique d'un tel ouvrage soit être parallèle comme esprit à votre papier : beaucoup de dessins et même de croquis à l'encre de Chine, accompagneraient, je crois, très bien, vos écrits - les dessins synthétiques qui illustrent votre 'Île de France' - sont loin d'être indifférents mais ont, à mon avis, un caractère trop statique et un peu froid". The letter was convincing; the artist ultimately contributed 14 lithographs and 4 woodcuts to the publication.

On 3 February 1968, Dunoyer de Segonzac wrote a postcard to Julien Cain and his wife to thank them for a photograph of Cain and him: "Merci mille fois pour l'excellent et vivante photo en couleur évocatrice de Julien et de moi-même. C'est un témoignage précieux de notre vieille et grande amitié".

The final two postcards in the collection from January 1970 and 1971 are both to thank an unnamed recipient for New Year wishes.

The second letter to Chavenon and the letter to Cain stapled to the original envelopes. The letter to Héron de Villefosse with staple holes. Well preserved.

Stock Code: BN#60234 Tag: