ID: 2448
Two Autograph letters signed to his friend [Helene] Lanie Bruce
PEAKE, Mervyn
Category: Autograph Letters/Manuscripts
Place/Publisher/Date:
Sark, No Publisher. 1934.
Description:
Two Autograph Letters signed to his friend Helene Bruce ('Lanie'), 5pp., Wallington, Surrey and Sark, 1st November 1931 - 14th May 1934; 4to. The letters show the young Peake reveling in his new career as professional artist "Got a picture in the Academy this year, and have sold 4 all together -total £7.7. It's all gone- bought a corduroy suit - double breasted - damned snappy... Lanie sweetheart - I never knew what art was or painting or drawing or anything when you were here - not that I do now, but things are beginning to move. I am going to draw Cochran's chorus girls in the Ballet school - Free permit - isn't that great and I'll knock old Degas into a cocked hat". The first letter contains Peake's impressions of his apparent first visit to Sark "Paradise, without any damned angels getting in the light", and even some two years later the island ( to which he had moved to join the artists' colony of his his former teacher Eric Drake) still maintained its hold: ".The island is magical now. The flowers are like living cataracts of pure colour...The sunlight was terrific, making the grass, trees and flowers and especially the gorse almost dizzily brilliant". Oh, I do want to see you again. Sark would be heaven, if we could wander about the cliff tops and among the trees and discuss things. The people I know here are all swell in their way but I perhaps feel a trifle apart and could never get on with them as I do with you. Next Saturday the Gallery is opening for the first of the summer shows they are holding here. It is going to be good I think - better than the London one anyway for our work has changed a lot since last summer and autumn. Is there any chance of you coming over here and then returning with me for Leslie's wedding…….Please forgive the last disintegrated letter I sent you. God, it was lovely having you to see me off at Waterloo. If you find you can come almost immediately give me a wire if you like…..Well Lanie - au revoir pour le moment. Write soon and send good news if you can…..I'd love you to see this place in the spring - besides of course the rather absurd and wholly unaccountable wish to see you myself. Lots of love Lanie…'. Peake's early career in the 1930s was as a painter in London, although he lived on Sark for a time, first moving there in 1932. Peake and Bruce maintained a lengthy correspondence with many of their letters now residing in the Mervyn Peake archive at the British Library. Folded for posting.
Price £1500.00
