Bernard BOUTET DE MONVEL, Handwritten letters from the artist to his mother, Jeanne Lebaigue, during the First World War, 1916-1917. [More than 20 documents - autograph handwritten letters]. At his request, Bernard Boutet de Monvel was placed in the air force in November 1915, and for 3 years flew over enemy lines in France and Macedonia. He made his first attempt to link Salonika and Bucharest, crossing the whole of Bulgaria in the face of German squadrons. He was Mentioned in the Army Order almost 5 times, and received the Legion of Honor from Prince Alexander of Serbia and King Carol II of Romania. The artist left Macedonia in June 1917 and asked to be posted to Morocco, in Fez, in October of the same year. This set of letters was consigned by the artist's mother. They are dated August, September, October, November 1916 and November 1917. They contain information about his life as a soldier in Salonika and Morocco, his continuing work as a painter, and the sale of his paintings in France. "I'd rather be isolated and quiet than live with intimates. They've just appointed us a squadron leader, and I said 'phew! For I was succumbing under the weight of the hassles of command, a good man, quite old but certainly courageous. [...] My pilot is first-rate, very skilful, very serious and, what's more, an excellent mechanic. I'm sure that after these statements you'll sleep soundly until the end of the war", letter dated September 21, 1916. (Lot sold as is)