Written on letterhead stationery printed "Giverny par Vernon Eure."
Envelope addressed to "Monsieur P. Rosenberg / Hotel du Palais / Biarritz / Basser-Pyrénées."
Postmarked and stamped.
Apologizing for not responding sooner or thanking him for the photo of the Japonaise, but he was too busy working. Bad weather right now is imposing a forced rest period on him, so he has the time to give Rosenberg the information he requested. Monet says that it's been many years since he last saw this painting but he thinks that if he does see it again, he probably won't share Rosenberg's enthusiasm. He says that when he did the painting, his friends and he were putting on exhibitions called "impressionist," and since some art lovers reproached him for abandoning figurative art, reminding him of his painting of a woman in a green dress, he painting the Japonaise for one of the exhibitions. The model was none other than his first wife, who also posed for the painting of the woman in the green dress. This all Monet can see, not having seen the painting since it belonged to the Comte [Count] de Rasty. Monet says that as far as he can remember, the Count must own other paintings or sketches that are worth more than La Japonaise.