VAN DONGEN KEES (1877-1968)

Lot 187
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Estimation :
7000 - 9000 EUR
VAN DONGEN KEES (1877-1968)
Meeting of fifteen autograph letters, one of which includes an original drawing, fourteen signed and three autograph postcards addressed to "Mrs. Van Dongen". Paris, September-October 1925, set of 32 pages in-4 and in-12 in ink on paper, with 15 autograph envelopes. Sympathetic correspondence from the artist to his mistress Leo (Lea) Jasmy, whom he called Madame Van Dongen, while she was travelling in Italy. Van Dongen describes her daily life, punctuated by work: "[...] think of poor Kiki who has to work - at her age - to earn a living for herself and her unnatural mother" and the sales of paintings: "Business? I have already missed three cases and thus lost 120,000 francs, i.e. Bollack case portraits of children 500,000 more heard. Case Devambez father Weil whom I met and with whom we talked about the illustration of a book 30000 frcs. more news". Probably in answer to his lover who found herself fattened and burnished, Van Dongen replied: "I too have become fattened but not burnished, this life of oxen fattens me and as I have nothing to write to you I draw you on the back of this letter my last portrait". He pictured himself standing, leaning against a table and smoking a pipe. Two of these letters contain drawings and a few words by Pierre Plessis, a friend of Van Dongen. Enclosed are: 1 autograph letter signed by Jenny, Sacerdote with an autograph paragraph by Kees Van Dongen, [s.l.n.d.], 2 pages in-8; 1 postcard signed Guy to Mrs. Van Dongen, Bordeaux, October 9, 1925, 1 page in-12; and 1 postcard signed F. Fleming-Jones to the Van Dongens, Berlin, October 2, 1925, 1 page in-12.
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