GAUDIER-BRZESKA HENRI: (1891-1915) French Artist & Sculptor. An extremely rare A.L.S., with his init

GAUDIER-BRZESKA HENRI: (1891-1915) French Artist & Sculptor. An extremely rare A.L.S., with his init

GAUDIER-BRZESKA HENRI: (1891-1915) French Artist & Sculptor. An extremely rare A.L.S., with his initials H G B, to one side of a picture postcard featuring an image of a cast bronze head of a girl originating from Southern Nigeria and in the collection of the British Museum, n.p. (London), 28th February 1914, to Nina Hamnett in Paris. The artist writes 'So you got to Paris easily & are happy. The language must flow out in torrents by now! There's no change here always slagging at stones which is very pleasant. The rest of the crew disport themselves gaily on disparagement of the absent…..' Together with Nina Hamnett (1890-1956) Welsh Artist & Writer, the Queen of Bohemia. A.L.S., Nina Hamnett, one page, oblong 8vo, Westbourne Terrace, 6th July 1953, to Mr. Davis, an autograph collector, stating, in part, 'Here is a postcard from Brzeska signed H G B written to me in Paris in 1914. I have unfortunately none of the autographs that you mention. I have Poulenc's but you saw my list of names.' Autographs of Gaudier-Brzeska are extremely rare in any form as a result of his early death at the age of 23 when he was killed in the trenches during World War I and the present example is enhanced by its fine association and provenance. Some light staining and age wear to the postcard and with a postal cancellation slightly affecting the text and signature, G to VG, 2 Gaudier-Brzeska and Hamnett conducted a love affair after meeting in London while Hamnett was studying at the London School of Art. She posed for the artist who sculpted a series of nude bronzes of her before Hamnett moved, in 1914, to Paris to study.