8 - DELACROIX (Eugène). Autograph letter to Joséphine de Forget. No place, [June 15, 1851]. One-half page, in-8 format; trace of a wax seal; a tiny marginal tear on the address page caused by opening the letter.

DELACROIX (Eugène). Autograph letter to Joséphine de Forget. No place, [June 15, 1851]. One-half page, in-8 format; trace of a wax seal; a tiny marginal tear on the address page caused by opening the letter. A LETTER OF TENDER LOVE, ALSO REFERRING TO HIS WORK AT THE LOUVRE on the ceiling of the Apollo Gallery. “My dear friend, thank you very much. I was just about to write to you in reply to your little note from yesterday. I was wise not to have dinner yesterday, and I will do the same—or nearly so—today. I WILL ONLY GO TO THE LOUVRE AND WILL BARELY WORK THERE: I am so terribly afraid of getting sick—now that I HAVE ONLY A FEW SMALL EFFORTS LEFT TO MAKE TO REAP THE REWARDS OF ALL THE OTHERS—that I will take great care to proceed very slowly. You understand as well as I do the immense importance I place on this cautious approach. So please be so kind as to come and go without counting on me. I’ll try to come see you after dinner today—but do go out if you have the chance: yesterday I had some brief chills that, fortunately, didn’t amount to anything. I’m just a little weaker, that’s all. I’m currently reading your *Constitutionnels*; I’d be happy to receive as many issues as you can send me. The printing is very good, and I like the newspaper. I hope to see you soon, however, my dear friend. I AM GOING THROUGH A VERY IMPORTANT TIME, BUT THAT DOES NOT PREVENT ME FROM FEELING AND TELLING YOU HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE YOU AND LOVE YOU. » A CLOSE FRIEND AND, FOR A TIME, THE MISTRESS OF EUGENE DELACROIX, JOSEPHINE DE FORGET (1802–1882) was a distant cousin of the painter. Goddaughter of Empress Josephine, she was the daughter of Émilie de Beauharnais and the Count of Lavalette, who notably served as Director General of the Post Office during the First Empire. At the age of 15, she married Baron Tony de Forget, a former official in the Postal Service who became a prefect under the July Monarchy; she separated from him ten years later.