Letter from Georges Rouault, France?, to Paul Rosenberg, undated : autograph manuscript signed.

Thanking him for his offers. He says not to believe everything he hears about the Ambroise Vollard mess. Most of the time it's made up and never very exact. All he can say is that from July to the end of October he had a terrible time, but, having signed an agreement with AV [Ambroise Vollard], he's more stuck in the situation than ever. As Rouault's elder daughter explained, he's afraid that Rosenberg will obtain nothing worthwhile from Teu Kishima or Mentier [who may be Lucien Vollard's lawyer] at the present time. He said to let him [Rouault] try, at least for the Kishimas. Rosenberg should keep the works that are his in a safe place. He is right to have hidden them. He's losing sleep about what's been in the rue Martignac [where Ambroise Vollard's house is, sealed up] from the end of July to the end of October and about all the paintings by Cezanne, Renoir, Degas that he had been able to keep in Saumur [in the Loire valley]--70 boxes in 1912-18--and was able to get back easily. [It appears that they are now sealed up--probably because of the lawsuit.] He's distressed as well about the poor communication with far-off heirs [of Vollard]--60 days to get a reply to his letter. The whole problem resulted from an old will. He says that Rosenberg has delicate works [by him], especially the Crucifixion. He had a hard time sending the said works. His hands are tied despite people's jokes. He says that AV [Vollard] had the nerve to say, to free himself of certain indiscreet artists, "He doesn't paint anymore"--which, for those people who know Rouault, is impossible to believe.