Letter from Nicolas de Staël, Paris, to Paul Rosenberg, 1954 January 6 : autograph manuscript signed.

Thanking him for his letter of 12/31/53. He hopes that Rosenberg has received his New Year's wishes as well as the details about the paintings that he should receive before January 20 if the shipping is fast. He says that it's up to Rosenberg to decide [see MA 3500.449]. He says he's not stunned but rather had only tried to tell Rosenberg's daughter how much he admired Rosenberg's energy in general and toward him in particular, keeping all things in proportion, of course. He says that he's not leaving for the south and is in no hurry to paint. He began to work in the south when Rosenberg left Paris the previous year, but he returns regularly to his studio in Paris to renew the way he looks at things. He wants as much as Rosenberg for his paintings to be well executed and finished, and he feels that his ideas on these matters differ little from Rosenberg's. He adds that he has prepared 580 paintings, for which Rosenberg has the details, to complete the exhibition. He asks Rosenberg to hold off the exhibition for a few days if Lenars does not work quickly.