Mondrian, Piet

Collection of 10 autograph letters signed ("Piet Mondrian," "Mondrian," and "P. M."), 27 pages (most sheets 10  1/2  x 8  1/4  in.; 267 x 210 mm; though, some letters smaller, including 2 on postcards), Paris, 18 December 1933–28 April 1935, to Eugene J. and Gwen Lux; horizontal and vertical folds on most letters, occasional light spotting or browning.  1 autograph envelope, postmarked 13 February 1935. 

A highly important collection of letters by Piet Mondrian to his friends and supporters Eugene J. and Gwen Lux.  This remarkable correspondence contains vital information and rich detail of Mondrian's Paris years.  Included in one of the letters is an ink sketch of his sublime 1932 oil, "Composition with Yellow and Double Line" (formerly collection of Ben and Winifred Nicholson, now in the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh).

Eugene Lux (1900–1985), an artist and inventor, and his first wife Gwen, a sculptor, living in Manhattan, began a correspondence with the Dutch artist in late 1933.  The letters begin with plans for the Luxes to visit Mondrian's studio on the rue du Départ when they were in Paris in May 1934.  From 1933 to 1935 the letters grow increasingly candid and informative.  Writing two months after their initial visit, Mondrian expresses his impatience to see photos of Mrs. Lux's sculpture and adds, "Je vous manque beaucoup ici parce que nous sommes si pareils d'esprit et de mentalité."  He says he has been invited with Jean Arp and Auguste Herbin to an exhibition "chez [Christian] Zervos, but was unable to go because "mes choses ne sont pas 'au point'."  He continues regarding his current work: "Le grand tableau de Tuileries j'ai egalement ameilioré, et les autres aussi sont bien beaucoup mieux que quand vous les avez vus."  Of a recent sale of a painting, he writes, "Heureusement j'ai peu après votre départ vendu le tableau avec la jaune à ce collectionneur suisse pour le 5000 fr. que j'avais demandé."  After mentioning a dinner with Kandinsky, he goes on to express reservation about two art world figures: Galka Scheyer and Robert Delaunay.  Of Mme. Scheyer, he writes, "Elle est assez intelligente et voit bien mais je la crois très commerciale.  Je vous conseille d'entrer en contrat avec elle à propos du mes tableaux que vous avez de moi seulement  dans le cas que personne n'en vent."  Of Delaunay: "... il a perdu toutes ses belles couleurs: une chose abstraite mais en couleurs naturelles failles, et une chose avec trois femmes!  C'est dommage qu'il sacrifice son art à gagner de l'argent parce qu'ainsi il aura certainment des commands ...."

In his letter of 6 September 1934, Mondrian speaks of his pleasure in selling a painting for 2000 francs and comments on his progress on his 'Tuilleries', which the Luxes have only seen "dans l'etat primitif et imparfait."  He brings up the idea of an exhibition in America and discusses his working habits: "En général, je travaille jusqu'à 2 hrs du matin."  In the postscript, he notes that Antoine Pevsner's health "est toujours faible" and writes he has lost confidence in both the Delaunays.

17 November 1934, Mondrian brings up the idea of living with the Luxes in America: "... je voudrais bien être près de vous; par votre homogène et sensibilité équivalente vous deux m'inspirent toujours.  Vous comprenez que je vous manque beaucoup ici."  He goes on to discuss Jean Hélion, Arp, and once again the Delaunays, of whom he writes, "Ils sont bien sympathique comme artistes mais trop fixés sur le côte pratique."  In contrast, he describes Kandinsky's recent work as "magnifique" and writes approvingly of Arp.  He mentions that Ben Nicholson may buy a picture and draws a sketch of it.

In February 1935, he mentions another sale, this one to a Zurich collector: "...un tableau plus grand que le blanc et noir qui est chez Lux pour prise de 5000 fr."  The black and white painting Mondrian mentions remained in the Lux collection and was sold at Sotheby's New York, 5 May 2009 (lot 10) for $9.2 million. 

The correspondence ends with Mondrian's decision to exhibit his work in Lucerne in an exhibition with Picasso, Léger, Arp, Hélion, and others.  He has not been feeling well and despairs, however, of finishing the twelve paintings he would like to exhibit.  "Des 12 choses j'en avais 3 terminées.  Il y a trois mois et je les ai exposés à Lucerne mais après je n'ai pu faire rien."

A revealing collection of letters by one of the undisputed masters of 20th century art.