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MJV SOUDANT
13
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A rare illustrated book that once belonged to the journalist…
See original version (French)
13
-
A rare illustrated book that once belonged to the journalist…
See original version (French)
Estimate €3,000 - €4,000
Voluntary lot
Description
A rare illustrated book that once belonged to the journalist and writer Théo Fleischman, a valuable record of his friendship with the painter James Ensor. This volume contains three portrait photographs of James Ensor, as well as a remarkable collection of correspondence exchanged between the two men, covering the period from 23 August 1922 to 22 October 1937. It comprises ten autograph letters, handwritten and signed by James Ensor. These rare manuscripts offer a glimpse into the richness of the painter’s prose, particularly when he describes the musicality of the sea at Ostend. Thus, in a letter dated 22 October 1937, Ensor writes: ‘Here, I withdraw into the sounds of the bitter waves, tinged with irises, veiled in splendour. Life is good by the sea when She roars, sings, shivers or murmurs, when She breathes out sonorous thoughts borne on the gentle breeze of the spirit. ’ A true painter of words, Ensor also used his correspondence to sketch out potential subjects for paintings. In a letter dated 27 July 1934, he described a pictorial project as follows: ‘I like the subject; I shall have there an eighth heaven brimming with feminine opulence, paradises beautiful with colour, little Persian torments, Maidens of Orléans, languor, bored wives, sadness, desires and dear departed ones. ’ The work also contains six typewritten autobiographical pages, corrected in Ensor’s own hand in black ink and dated 21 June 1934. The document begins with this sentence: ‘Here, in brief, is the story of my life …’ Added to this is the typewritten report *James Ensor – A Visit to the Painter’s Studio*, produced for the I.N.R. on 5 August 1934, accompanied by ten handwritten pages. This exceptional collection provides a first-rate insight into James Ensor’s literary personality, revealing the Ostend master’s poetic sensibility, rich imagination and artistic world through his private correspondence with Théo Fleischman.
See original version (French)
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Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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