Letter to Camille Pissarro
Letter to Camille Pissaro

My dear Pissarro,

I know an employee at the stock exchange who has asked me to buy two paintings for him for 300 F. Naturally, I intend to suggest some Pissarros to him and so upon your return, I would like for you to bring over a few, but in the 6 by 8 format–there is no need for them to be large. Don't be offended by what I am going to say, but you know as well as I do that the middle classes are difficult to please, so I would like this young man to have two paintings whose subjects are as pretty as possible. He is a young man who knows nothing at all about art, and does not pretend otherwise which is already something; however, some of your works could frighten him despite my influence on his judgment.

So act for the best and see you soon.

P Gauguin

Paul Gauguin
French, July 29, 1879
850329
Research Library, The Getty Research Institute