Description

The relevant parts of the letters are as follows:

'How, after having hopelessly waited for an answer to my letter, during ten long days, Erneste and I … we then set off, with nothing but a blouse on our backs - [drawing of Whistler and Delannoy] ...

… how my wretched Parisian shoes got rid of a portion of their soles ... and a great part of their upper leather - [drawing of shoes] ...

… Shall I say that the man who gardes [sic] the life of his Emperor understood the neatness of my argument. [drawing, Whistler bribing a gendarme] ...

… my entré at the Café Voltaire on Sunday evening was of the most triumphant! - [drawing, Whistler and friends in the Café Voltaire] Comment! t'es pas mort! …' 1

Sitter

Whistler and his companion Ernest Delannoy (d. 1869/1872) figure in the sketches.