Henri HARPIGNIES (1819-1916). 23 L.A.S. and a photograph dedicated, 1876-1910, to his pupil Marguerite Binder, Mrs Paul Laffleur de Kermaingant; 81 pages in-8 or in-12, and photo 16,2 x 10 cm (small accident). Nice match to a watercolor student. The letters are written from Paris, Hérisson (Allier), Saint-Privé (Yonne), Villefranche-sur-Mer, Nice, Menton... October 1st, 1876. The watercolour is a little cold in tone, but the values are well observed, although she could have made them a little more vigorous: "to be vigorous without being heavy [...] is the daily pitfall".... November 15, 1877. Let her leave watercolour if it annoys her: "make a drawing"... December 7, 1877: he could give her a one-hour lesson this winter, every other Wednesday, "as in the past"... February 19, 1879. "Little account" of what she owes him for lessons... November 3, 1880. He worked a lot this summer: "about fifty watercolours without counting very serious studies in oil. With what you know and your so remarkable and distinguished aptitude you should start making oil paintings...". November 14, 1882. "I will continue from time to time to give you some advice as I did to the Princess of Arenberg - exceptionally - because I can no longer give lessons in town because of my work. I only keep my Friday men's class"; it sold nothing at the last Salon... 17th February 1887. Desolate painting of Nice in the rain, where he has not worked since a couple of oil studies two weeks ago... April 1. Account of the February 22nd earthquake in Nice, written a few hours after the event. "Everything stops from that moment on and I estimate that the tremor may well have lasted 12 to 15 seconds. I will never forget them in my life. It was a sinister din of underground roar... I sat on my bed, filled with a grandiose terror ... Running on the quay, he discovers "a general panic": "the masks interrupted in their suppers mingle with the crowd, as well as the floured pierrots - well-dressed women, common