Paul Gauguin Autograph Letter Signed A Few Days Before His Death. 1903

For many years, the autograph library has specialized in the sale of autograph letters and manuscripts. Autograph letter signed (twice) to daniel de monfreid. "It will be said all my life that I am condemned to fall. One of the last letters of Gauguin, poignant, a few days before his death.

This is the last letter addressed to his daniel friend of monfreid; Gauguin was already in bed and sentenced for slander: he died on 8 May 1903 at the age of 54, completely demoralized, even before he had been able to defend himself against this accusation. It is likely that Gauguin was already dead when Monfreid received this letter. "My dear daniel, I am sending you three paintings that you will receive - I am sending them directly to Mr Fayet for not having to be truncated - probably after this letter.

Do you want to tell Mr Fayet that this is about saving me? If the paintings don't suit him that he's taking more from you.

Or lend me 1500 f with all the guarantees he wants. Here's why: I've just been the victim of a dreadful stalker. After facts to the scandalous Marquises I had written to the administrator asking him to investigate this matter. I had not thought that the gendarmes were all of connivance, that the administrator was from the governor's party etc.

Still, it was that the lieutenant asked for the prosecution and that a judge bandit at the orders of the governor and the little prosecutor whom I had mistreated sentenced me, July 81 press law for a particular letter, to 3 months in prison and 1000 f fine. I need to go to tahiti. Travel stay and especially avocado fees!!

How much will it cost me? This is my ruin and the complete destruction of my health.

It will be said all my life that I am condemned to fall to fall back etc.. all my old energy goes away every day. So do it as quickly as possible and tell Mr Fayet that I will have eternal gratitude for it.

Always everything to you from court. Here's the mail, nothing of you again - vollard since 3 mails does not write me and does not send me any money currently it is my debtor of 1500 f plus a balance for the paintings I sent him. As a result, I'm a 1400 f debtor to business just when I still have to ask him for money to go to popeete etc...

I'm afraid the company will refuse me and then I'll be terribly in the lake. If he died or went bankrupt, I hope you'd be informed. All these concerns are killing me.

The remoteness of Gauguin, who had been settled in the Marquesas since 1901, made it difficult to exchange epistolary letters, some of which sometimes arrived several months late. If the paintings don't suit him that he takes more from you or lends me 1500 f with all the guarantees he wants.

The tone is desperate while, already caught in the midst of a heart disease, the syphilis that ravages his body and legs covered with eczema, Gauguin lives miserablely in his home to enjoy. His natural desperation is accentuated here by the recent condemnation (by the gendarme guichenay), which strikes him. In fact, a month before the writing of this letter, on 31 March 1903, he was sentenced as he explained in the letter: I have just been the victim of a horrific stalker...

A judge who had been banditled at the orders of the governor and the little prosecutor whom I had mistreated sentenced me to three months in prison and a fine of 1000 francs. Gauguin has always been particularly critical of the colonization of the Marquesas and has regularly defended the inhabitants for whom the administrative system is completely incomprehensible. On 10 March, on the occasion of the exceptional visit of two inspectors of the colonies on official tour, Gauguin wrote a report to their attention, mentioning unjustified taxes, exaggerated fines, smuggling, Catholic school etc.

He adds: justice for reasons of economy is sent to us every eighteen months or so. The judge therefore arrives in a hurry to judge... He settles at the gendarmerie, takes his meals there, seeing no one other than the brigadier who presents the files to him with his assessments. In this letter he goes even further: after facts to the scandalous Marquises I had written to the administrator asking him to investigate this matter.

I didn't think the gendarmes were all conniving. It is the report written by one of these two inspectors, andré Salles, who returned from his official tour, which particularly harms Gauguin: the Gauguin painter has endeavoured to attack in the minds of the natives any established authority, urging them not to pay the tax and no longer to send their children to school. As a result, the governor denounced Gauguin, calling him "bad French". Gauguin had filed a complaint against the gendarme guichenay of Tahuata. The governor therefore takes this pretext to allow the commander of the gendarmerie to sue the painter in defamation, I must go on appeal to tahiti. Failing health and opposite justice overwhelm Gauguin forced to resolve himself to fatality: "It will be said all my life that I am condemned to fall back again etc." Or "I'm afraid the company will refuse me and then I'll be terribly in the lake" possible allusion to the terrible cyclone of January 7, 1903 which flooded its square up to the first floor: the torrent also sweeps the bridge built by Gauguin on the makemake. It is therefore completely isolated in the middle of a lake. "all these concerns kill me.

" He died a few days later, on May 8, 1953, at the age of 54. Upon learning of the death of Gauguin, vollard wrote without delay to monfreid, in a letter dated 29 August: very sad news.

I'm just being told that Gauguin has died. Have you heard anything like that? The news comes from mr.

Ary leblond who had her from the colonial ministry. It will only haveten me to send you a copy of Gauguin's account. Daniel de monfreid, recipient of our letter, is officially notified six days before vollard by f. Picquenot, administrator of the Marquesas Islands on August 23, that is almost four months after the disappearance of Gauguin. Mette Gauguin, the painter's wife is still not aware of her husband's death almost five months after his death, it is monfreid who will inform him; she will ask him to continue to deal with the affairs of her late husband: "I know that for years already you have dealt with the affairs of paul and I would be very grateful, if for the love of the one who is no longer you would like to continue".

Gauguin to tahiti and the Marquise islands, bengt danielsson, editions of the pacific. Letters of Gauguin to georges-daniel de monfreid (cres, 1918), lxxxiii. Consult our manuscripts The Autograph Gallery of Centuries specializes in the sale and expertise of autograph letters and manuscripts of the great personalities of past centuries.

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date of publication: 1903
special characteristics: manuscript
number of pages: 2
bound: manuscript
language: French