MONET Claude (1840 - 1926) L.A.S. "Claude Monet," Giverny November 8, 1891, to George de BELLIO; 4 pages in-8. To one of his first collectors. He refers to "the series of paintings you sold to the delightful Paindesons. I had the pleasure of meeting him and it was a great surprise for me to learn of it. You have enough of my paintings (and it's your right to give some away) to make a choice from what you have, but where I'm a little angry with you is that you didn't let me know before concluding with this enlightened amateur, because there are things among those paintings that I would have been happy to have back, if only as a souvenir. You would have informed me of this and we could have made some kind of exchange. He told me that you had sold him two railways, for which I'm doubly sorry". So he asks de Bellio to let him know when he wants to "purge" his collection. "You did me a great service by buying me paintings at a time when few amateurs wanted them. For my part, I had to part with everything I produced in order to make a living. You will therefore understand my surprise and disappointment, as well as my desire if you intend to sell other paintings. [...] You had the courage to buy these canvases when it seemed ridiculous, and it is only natural that you should have the right to dispose of them afterwards". But he still regrets not having been warned...