Gaston CHAISSAC (1910-1964) Lot n° 47

Set of 3 L.A.S. to Raymond Cogniat, from the newspaper Arts. 1948-1949. 7 pp. in-4 and 1 p. ½ large folio (37 x 27 cm). With an original linocut. Beautiful correspondence relating to his work and his art: "My 32-round gouache of 22.11.48 makes me think that Dubuffet had spoken to me of Arabic tunes on a single note. It has something of the necklaces and rosaries. Some time ago I was at the crucifixions and my wife finds my crucified beheaded very tragic. What's curious is that I did this beheading without wanting to. It is two circles inside each other that I made without any motive that makes it so. And instead of the head there is like the image of a head". He is thinking of having an exhibition in a few months: "a retrospective of my paintings without earthly ties and some people might be quite surprised that I've been doing things like this since 1938. In fact, I exhibited at the salon des réalités nouvelles. Albert Gleizes, who has known of my existence since 1938, had invited me there. On a sheet of sandpaper I only painted my "Crusader". It uses a lot the brushes to paint on sheets of sandpaper". A provincial journalist had then baptized it "The Picasso in clogs". "At my exhibition at the arcen- ciel I had mostly done things following the advice of Mr André Lhote and I must have misunderstood his explanations. I especially like craft products, the works of artists leave me rather indifferent even the masterpieces". Then he talks at length about Maurice Charrieau, a young farmer. In his second letter: "I'm happy because what I've just painted falls into craftsmanship, it seems to me. There are only assembled circles and there is a figure that seems to be made of pearls. He has a little bit of the expression of Bécassine but whoever would think that I wanted to be inspired by this heroine would believe me much more skilful than I am ". He proposes to send her a few drawings of this type. He saw a painting by Magnelli accompanied by an unfavourable