Here at Flavorpill, we’re great fans of artistic ephemera, endlessly fascinated by everything from the journals of creative geniuses to postcards from famous authors. After all, once you’re famous, there’s just no way to keep your private papers out of the hands of the curious masses — not that we’re complaining: sometimes, the best way to learn about someone is to see the way they correspond to those closest to them. To that end, we’ve collected a few beautiful letters from great artists to their friends and family, each one as visually evocative as you’d expect. Take a look after the jump, and if we’ve missed a stellar letter, send it our way in the comments!
From Vincent Van Gogh to his brother Theo, 1888. Courtesy Vincent van Gogh Foundation. [via]
From Pablo Picasso to his dear friend Gertrude Stein. [via]
From Henri Matisse to Francoise Gilot, as seen in Matisse and Picasso: A Friendship in Art . [via]
From Eugene Delacroix to Mr. Haro, his paint dealer. [via]
From Frida Kahlo to a friend, with lipstick kisses for everyone. [via]
From Rockwell Kent to Frances Kent, 1929. [via]
From Alexander Calder to Agnes Rindge Claflin, an illustrated list of the sculptures of his he wants her to see in New York, c. 1942. [via]
From Paul Gauguin to Vincent Van Gogh, 1889. [via]
From René Magritte to Paul Colinet. [via]
From Gustav Klimt to his life-long friend Emilie Flöge, 1897. Courtesy Leopold Museum. [via]
From Georgia O’Keeffe to Alfred Stieglitz, 1929. [via]
From Salvador Dalí to Tom Honeyman, 1932. [via]