452. PIERRE-AUGUSTE RENOIR (1841-1919) French painter and, with Monet, a leader of the Impressionists. He later changed his style, adopting a more formal perspective. Fine content A.L.S. "Renoir" to "Cher ami" [M. Gallimard, likely the art collector Paul Gallimard], 2pp. 8vo., Grasse, Dec. 17, 1900 in French. Renoir explains that he had delayed in writing as he "was terrified of asking after Mme. Gallimard and receiving bad news and as my wife is to go to Paris I had asked her to call on you and let me know how things are. You are very kind to have put my mind to rest...I have not been very well for the past month...However, we have wonderful weather and I am outdoors all day so I hope this improvement will continue. I am very well set up and I expect to do a great deal of work. I have seen Mirabeau who is at Cannes. I hope that now your wife will regain her strength and she will not suffer a relapse. My wife will keep me informed..." Tiny hole in blank area near bottom margin, else very good. A sufferer of rheumatoid arthritis, Renoir had moved to southern France a year earlier seeking a milder climate.
$1,000-1,500