British-Born Painter Paule Vezelay Talks Art Theory, Quotes Henri Matisse And Jean Arp

PAULE VEZELAY (1892-1984). Vezelay was a British-born abstract painter active in France. HOWARD RUSSELL BUTLER (1856-1934). Butler was an American artist who wrote Painter and Space, a book about artistically depicting solar eclipses. TLS. 2pgs. November 4, 1941. Bristol, England. A typed letter signed “Paule Vezelay”. During World War Two, Vezelay wrote to American painter Howard Russell Butler about his book, Painter and Space. Vezelay was clearly very interested in and knowledgeable about art theory, and she responded eagerly to Butler’s own theories as presented in his book. She also quoted modern artists Henri Matisse and Jean Arp. However, she seems not to have realized that Butler had died seven years before the date of her letter. “… How much I wish I might have the opportunity of meeting you, of exmplaining [sic] my own theory for the scientific composition of pictures and of asking you to help me with your collaboration should you be interested in my ideas. As this is impossible at present, I would like to ask your permission to quote parts of your work, with, of course due acknowledgements. I must add that, while I think these theories of great importance to the artist, and agree that ‘the technique of exmression, [sic] must have a scientific basis’ as you say in your Preface, yet I am inclined to think that these theories should not always be followed in a hard and fast manner, There is the element of emotion which we can hardly measure in a scientific sense and just those qualities also, which make a person an artist rather than a scietist. [sic] If it was otherwise there seems to me no doubt that colour photography might be developed in such a way that anyone with the suitable training might arrive at making first class ‘pictures’ on scientific lines. What does Matisse say of this ---‘A true artist cannot see colour which is not harmonious. He should not copy the wall, or objects on a table, but he should above all express a vision of colour, the harmony of which corresponds to his feeling- And, above all, one must be honest with one’s self. and Jean Arp, ‘Art is a fruit growing out of a man like a fruit out of a plant, likr [sic] the child out of the mother. While the fruit of the plant assumes independant [sic] forms and never strives to resemble a helicopter or a President in a cutaway, the artistic fruit of man shows, for the most part, ridiculous ambitious to imitate the appearance of other things. I like nature but not it’s [sic] substitute.’ Much has been written by so many interesting artists but not one, I think, would disagree that there are certain laws which must always be observed. Perhaps the question lies in knowing how best to use those laws to serve one’s own purpose as an artist, and in this, a knowledge of some scientific theories must surely be useful…”. It is in very good condition, with minor wrinkling.