MATHIEU GEORGES: (1921-2012) French abstract painter. A.L.S., Mathieu, three pages (separate leaves), 4to, Avenue Léopold, Paris, 30th December 1991, to the widow of François Billetdoux, on printed stationery featuring a silver printed image of Moult de parte (1949) at the head, in French. Mathieu writes a sympathetic letter, commencing ´Je serais, Madame, a vous dire toute l´emotion que j´ai ressentie à l´annonce de la disparition de votre mari. Je l´avais peu connu mais j´avais d´emblée eprouvé pour lui une veritable admiration et une réélle amitié´ (Translation: ´I would like to express to you, Madam, the emotion I felt upon hearing of your husband's passing. I did not know him well, but I immediately felt genuine admiration and friendship for him´) and continuing ´En dehors de la profondre originalité de som théatre, j´avais pu mesurer la qualité de sa sensibilité et de son intuition dans le merveilleux texte qu´il avait été sur ma personne et mon oeuvre pour le film que Frédéric Rossif m´avait consacré´ (Translation: ´Apart from the profound originality of his theatre, I was able to appreciate the quality of his sensitivity and intuition in the wonderful text he wrote about me and my work for the film that Frédéric Rossif dedicated to me´). Mathieu concludes his letter by offering his most sincere condolences and asks that his deepest sympathy be conveyed to Billetdoux´s daughters, Raphaele and Virginia. VG

François Billetdoux (1927-1991) French dramatic author and novelist who provided the text for Frédéric Rossif´s documentary film Georges Mathieu ou la fureur d'être (1971).