Monet, Claude

2 pages (8 1/4 x 5 1/4 in; 210 x 135 mm) regarding his paintings "Views of Vetheuil," "Giverny par Vernon, Eure" letterhead, 19 October 1901; formerly folded, very slightly faded. 

Wildenstein, Claude Monet, cat rais. (1979) 1636 ff.

formerly folded, very slightly faded.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

"Excusez mon retard [...] mais je suis toujours en plein travail à Vetheuil par conséquent dans l'impossibilité de répondre favorablement à votre aimable invitation. Je vous demande de bien vouloir patienter encore pour la livraison de vos tableaux, ils n'en seront que meilleurs, j'espère. Du reste, je vous ferai un premier envoi de "matins" puis viendront les Vetheuil. Recevez les meilleurs compliments de votre devoué Claude Monet"

Claude Monet’s series of 15 canvases depicting the village of Vétheuil, 7 miles from his home in Giverny, dates from July 1901. During that summer, the artist and his family rented a small riverside house in Lavacourt, across the river Seine from Vétheuil, to escape the heat. The Vétheuil series shows the view across the river from Monet’s balcony at various times of day. At the time of writing the present letter, the "Mornings" are finished and the artist is going to send them to his dealer. 

Monet's celebrated series paintings, including the Vétheuil sequence, his depictions of Rouen Cathedral, the Houses of Parliament in London and, of course, the Waterlilies are often considered to represent the very pinnacle of the Impressionist movement.