 |
| Drawing by Valadon |
I was doing research for a play I am working on about the relationship between Valadon and Erik Satie (which I first wrote about on this blog nine years ago.)
I had read that Degas wrote several letters to Valadon, but found only a few online, translated into English. That was not good enough, since I decided to put Degas in the play. I wanted to read them all.
Finally I found a copy of "Lettres de Degas," a collection by Marcel Guérin of Degas' personal and business correspondence, untranslated from the French.
Valadon was known to have had many lovers but there appears to have never been anything romantic between her and the decades-older Degas, and he never used the familiar "tu" with her, always the more formal "vous" so his interest in her appears to have been completely based on his love of her work, which is what he talks about, almost exclusively, in all his letters to her.
I personally believe Degas was gay or possibly asexual - he seems to have had even fewer romantic relationships than Satie, or at least none that were out in the open. I suspect that's where Degas' reputation as a misogynist comes from. He was generous in his praise of women artists and was a friend of Mary Cassatt - although if this collection is anything to go by, he never wrote a letter to her.
I think his biographers traditionally used "misogynist" as a code word for "sexually uninterested in women."
Here are his letters, in the original French and then my translations.
Degas most often referred to Valadon as Maria, her birth name, rather than Suzanne, her nom de pinceau.
#1 Carte-lettre avec l'adresse: Mlle. Maria Valadon, 11, rue Girardon
postmarked July 1894
DimancheVous avez dû retirer vos dessins du Champ de Mars, illustre Valadon. Venez donc demain matin m'apporter le mien. Bartholomé vous aura écrit à propos d'un dessin qui lui a terriblement envie. Est-il servi?
Bien a vous.DEGAS
----------------
SundayYou must have withdrawn your drawings from the Champ de Mars, illustrious Valadon. So come tomorrow morning and bring me mine. Bartholomé will have written to you about a drawing that he desires terribly. Is it served?Sincerely,DEGAS
I had some trouble with "Est-il servi" - I knew the direct translation is "Is it served" but I suspect it's more like, "is it ready" - but I figured better be on the safe side and translate directly.
#2 Carte-lettre adressée a Mme Suzanne Valadon 2 ou 4 rue Cortot
postmarked November 1894
JeudiTerrible Maria, hier chez Lebarc de Bouteille, j'ai voulu acheter votre dessin excellent, mais il n'en savait pas le prix. Venez, si vous pouvez, demain matin vers 9 h. 1/2 avec votre carton pour voir si vous n'avez pas encore q. q. chose de mieux.DEGAS
----------------
ThursdayTerrible Maria, yesterday at Lebarc de Bouteille's place, I wanted to buy your excellent drawing, but he did not know its price. Come if you can tomorrow morning around 9:30 with your box (of drawings) so I can see if you don't have something even better.DEGAS
#3 Carte-lettre adressée a Mme Suzanne Valadon, 2 Rue Cortot
postmarked March 1895
SamediVoila qu'il faut que j'aille demain à Passy, terrible Maria. Ne manquez pas l'autre Dimanche de venir, si vous pouvez, avec de nouveaux dessins. A present que vous allez bien, travailler dur.Amitiés.DEGAS
----------------
SaturdayYou see, I must go to Passy tomorrow, terrible Maria. Don't miss coming the other Sunday, if you can, with new drawings. Now that you are well, work hard.Cordially,DEGAS
#4 postmarked March 30, 1895
Vous voyez, ma pauvre Maria, que je ne puis encore grimper a vous voir. Zandomenaghi et Portier m'ont donne de vos nouvelles. J'en voudrais avoir par moi. Courage et soins.DEGAS
----------------
You see, my poor Maria, that I cannot climb up to see you yet. Zandomeneghi and Portier have given me news of you. I would like to have some with me. Courage and care.DEGAS
In the next one, Degas uses her hyphenated married name, since she had married the banker Paul Moussis.
#5 Carte-lettre adressée a Mme Valadon-Moussis, 12 Rue Cortot
The postmark is not visible
Janv. 8J'ai été au lit et vous répond tard, terrible Maria. Ça vous arrivera-t-il ce petit merci pour vous bon souhaits et votre constant souvenir? Êtes-vous toujours rue Cortot?Venez me voir avec des dessins. J'aime à voir ces gros traits si souples.Bonne Année.DEGAS
---------------
January 8I have been in bed and answer you late, terrible Maria. Will you receive this little thank you for your good wishes and your constant remembrance? Are you still at rue Cortot?Come see me with some drawings. I love to see those big flexible outlines.Happy New YearDEGAS
#6 Carte-lettre adressée a Mme Valadon-Moussis, 12 Rue Cortot
The postmark is not visible
VendrediEnfin je reponds, terrible Maria, a vos bons souhaits. C'est la grippe, c'est la bronchite etc. Etes-vous sur pied, de votre côté? Bonne annee et bons dessins que vous viendrez me montrer.Dites-moi ce qu'on a fait du tableau. Si on y a touche, j'aimerais savoir ce qu'on lui aura fait.AmicalementDEGAS
----------------
FridayFinally I respond, terrible Maria, to your good wishes. It's the flu, it's bronchitis etc. Are you on your feet? Happy New Year and good drawings that you will come and show me.Tell me what you did with the painting. If you touched it, I'd like to know what you did to it.KindlyDEGAS
#7 Carte-lettre adressée a Mme Valadon-Moussis, 18 route de St-Denis, Pierrefitte
No date, the postmark says 1897
DimancheJe vous remercie de vos souhaits, terrible Maria, d'autant plus que j'en ai besoin. On me dit que je suis toujours fragile, et gare au froid du cote gauche. Il faudra bien, malgré la maladie de votre fils, que vous vous remettiez a m'apporter des dessins méchants et souples.DEGAS
----------------
SundayI thank you again for your wishes, terrible Maria, even more because I need them. They tell me I am always fragile, and beware of cold on the left side. In spite of the your son's illness, you must return to bringing me your wicked and supple drawings.
DEGAS
#8 Carte-lettre adressée a Mme Valadon-Moussis, 18 route de St-Denis, Pierrefitte
Postmark: January 1898
SamediJ'ai trouve vos bon souhaits, terrible Maria, en revenant de chez Bartholome qui nous avait lu les votres a table, ou on les loue monta. Je ne vais pas trop mal, sauf les entrailles et garde souvent la maison. Vous me ferez plaisir et ne me dérangerez pas, comme vous craignez, en venant un jour a la fin de la journée, surtout avec un carton de beaux dessins.DEGAS
----------------
SaturdayI rediscovered your wishes, terrible Maria, on returning from Barthélemy's who had read your wishes to us at the table, when they were brought up to him. I am not too bad, except my stomach and often stay home. You will make me happy and will not disturb me, as you fear, by coming one day at the end of the day, especially with a box of beautiful drawings.
DEGAS
#9 A Suzanne Valadon
No date
MardiTous les ans je vois arriver, terrible Maria, cette écriture dessinée comme un scie. Mais je ne vois jamais, avec un carton sous le bras, arriver l'auteur. Et cependant je deviens bien vieux. Bonne année.DEGAS
----------------
TuesdayEvery year I see this writing, drawn like a saw, arriving, terrible Maria. But I never see the author arriving with a box under her arm. And yet I am getting very old. Happy New Year.
DEGAS