SOLLERS PHILIPPE: (1936-2023) French writer, critic and editor. A.L.S., Phil. Sollers, one page, 8vo, Rue Jacob, Paris, n.d. (?Jeudi?; 9th May 1963), to [Pierre Ber?s], on the printed stationery of Tel Quel, in French. Sollers sends belated thanks to his correspondent for an excellent lunch, and adds how much he enjoyed their meeting, and explains his tardiness, ?Mais j?attendais plus ou moins une confirmation de votre part ? propos de ce texte sur Rothko (et, dois-je na?vement l?avouer, cette confirmation devait aussi porter sur le tarif d?Art de France, d?tail qui, bien que secondaire, n?en reste pas moins tr?s vivant ? mes yeux ? h?las !)? (Translation: ?But I was more or less waiting for confirmation from you regarding that text on Rothko (and, I must naively admit, that confirmation was also to concern the subscription rate for Art de France, a detail which, though secondary, remains nonetheless very much on my mind ? alas!)`) and concludes by remarking ?J?attends donc, avant de me mettre tout ? fait au travail, votre r?ponse. Mais croyez, de toutes fa?ons, ? mes sentiments tr?s amicaux? (Translation: ?I am therefore awaiting your reply before getting fully down to work. But please accept, in any case, my warmest regards?). With a small blue ink received date stamp to the upper margin and a few very light, minor creases, VG

Pierre Ber?s (1913-2008) Russian-born French bookseller, antiquarian book collector, publisher and art collector. His magazine, Art de France, was launched in the same year as Tel Quel, and its contributors included writers such as Louis Aragon, Michel Butor and Ren? Char, as well as artists including Andr? Masson and Pierre Soulages.

Sollers article on the American artist Mark Rothko (1903-1970) was published under the title Le Mur du sens in Art de France in 1964 (Vol.4, pp. 239?251).