Léon BLUM (1872-1950). Autograph manuscript signed, [1928 ?] - Lot 417

Léon BLUM (1872-1950). Autograph manuscript signed, [1928 ?]; 3 pages in-4 (all 3 ff. framed). Fine text on the painter Claire Valière, on the occasion of an exhibition of the artist's work at the Galerie Bernheim Jeune: "I did not expect, at this moment in my life, to make my debut as an art critic. And yet, with the confidence of a neophyte, I venture to present to the public this selection of works by Claire Valière, brought together by the friendly hospitality of Josse and Gaston Bernheim Jeune - I do so without complacency. I admire Claire Valière as a person, her serious and solitary labor, her strong faith in a vocation she fulfills as a duty"... He evokes the child prodigy, her first two exhibitions, Louis Vauxcelles' appreciation and the possible influence of Cézanne. "One senses that she wishes to reach beyond sensible appearances, to penetrate to the density, to the solidity, to the substantial quality of things. [...] the public, in examining Claire Valière's landscapes, flowers and still lifes, will recognize in this inexpert presentation the most important of all merits: truth"...