Transcript
EMILY BEENY: Bellevue. 28 September. I don’t understand a word of your letter my dear Méry. Extending my stay at Bellevue doesn’t mean I’m feeling worse. On the contrary I’m doing better and better but I think the month of October will be fine and I’ll stay on a while in the fresh air.
NARRATOR: Manet begins this letter his friend, the actress Méry Laurent, by reassuring her that his health is improving. His affection for the former actress, who had visited Manet’s studio almost daily, is clear.
EMILY BEENY: She is in fact the only woman aside from his wife whom Manet addresses in letters using the informal tu instead of vous, which is one of several reasons why many have speculated that they may have had a more intimate relationship than simply a friendship.
NARRATOR: Unlike some of the other letters on view here, where watercolor illustrations are scattered throughout or relegated to the margins, this single sheet functions more like custom-made stationery.
EMILY BEENY: The watercolor design actually sits under the writing. He made the watercolor drawing on a sheet of paper, waited for it to dry, and then wrote the letter on top of it.
NARRATOR: The watercolor shows a stalk of morning glories, which symbolize friendship. One day earlier, Manet wrote to his friend and pupil Eva Gonzalès using the same floral illustration.
