Henri MATISSE (1869-1954). L.A.S. "H.M.", Vence March 19, 19 - Lot 346

Henri MATISSE (1869-1954). L.A.S. "H.M.", Vence March 19, 1944, to Henry de Montherlant; 4 pages in-8. Beautiful, friendly letter about Matisse's illustrated edition of Pasiphaé. Chant de Minos by Montherlant (Paris, Martin Fabiani, 1944). Matisse apologizes for failing to acknowledge receipt of Fils de personne: "the general nervousness in which one necessarily participates must be the cause. So we wait. It takes all the interest of daily work to bear the prospect of a catastrophe [...] I found your book very interesting, but not at all 'family'"... He asks for her help with a charity sale "to benefit the children evacuated from the Côte d'Azur", who are housed in insalubrious premises: "I have formed a project with the painter Pierre Bonnard to have a painting by each of us sold during an intermission of Le Soulier de satin [...]"... He asks him to "give your shoulder to Vaudoyer [...] You are the first to be informed in Paris - à tout seigneur...". He received Marie Bell at his home in Vence. "I'll write to anyone who can help me"... He adds: "All the same, if you continue I'll be obliged to refuse your postcards because of the allusions they carry, which would make the whole post office blush, including the letter carrier. What have you got to do with pregnant women? What a perversion! He adds that he's worried about the Pasiphaé cover, knowing that Fequet wasn't sure it would succeed: "I've already written to Fabiani that I can make it succeed in Nice, and no reply. You'll never know what your Pasiphaé cost me in bad blood"...