A letter written by four hands by Vincent Van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, in which they show their mutual admiration and the same vision of the future revival of modern art, found takers on Tuesday at auction at the Hotel Drouot in Paris for 210,600 euros.
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Autograph in ink on grid paper, and which includes their two signatures, this letter is addressed to their painter friend Emile Bernard from Arles, November 1/2, 1888, and evokes ongoing discussions on an "association of painters" . It was estimated between 180,000 and 250,000 euros. She went under the hammer at the start of the spring sales session of the Aristophil Collections. Both express their conviction that art is going through a pivotal period towards a “renaissance” . "Now, I who certainly believe in the possibility of an immense renaissance of art, who believe that this new art will have the tropics for their country, it seems to me that we ourselves only serve as intermediaries" , writes Van Gogh (1853-1890)."It will only be a next generation that will succeed in living in peace," he predicted in the letter to his "dear friend Bernard" .
"A virgin with wild beast instincts"
“Gauguin,” continues the Dutch painter, “interests me a lot as a man. It has long seemed to me that in our dirty profession of painter, we have the greatest need of people with workers' hands and stomachs, more natural tastes, more amorous and charitable temperaments, than the Parisian boulevardier decadent and exhausted ” . Gauguin is "a virgin being with wild animal instincts. With Gauguin, blood and sex prevail over ambition, ”he summarizes.
And to confide in Emile Bernard that they feel sufficiently accomplices to go together in certain places: "We made some excursions in the brothels and it is probable that we will end up often going to work there" .
Van Gogh gives the pen on the last page to Paul Gauguin (1848-1903) who rejects with false modesty the compliments of his friend: "Do not listen to Vincent, he has, as you know, easy admiration and dito indulgence" . As for "his idea on the future of a new generation in the tropics as a painter", it "seems absolutely right to me and I continue to intend to return to it" . What it will do.