Ambroise TARDIEU (1840-1912) historiographer of the Auvergne, painter and archaeologist. L.A.S. with watercolor, Algiers February 2, 1909, to Paul Eudel; 1 page in-4. Nice document decorated with a beautiful Algerian-inspired lettering. "I wrote to you, quite some time ago, to tell you that I had, free of charge and graciously, at your disposal 8 superb watercolors of Algeria; for I paint, easily, watercolors, as a distraction. [But your silence indicates to me that you are not an amateur. So he sold them to a great American collector. "Your little book [Hivernage en Algérie] is very interesting; but I have seen all that, formerly; and those poor ragged Arabs. So it is of little interest to these natives to misery. Here, Algiers is a beautiful place; but what a city of awful misery! Ah! the arts do not shine there; and few will appreciate your beautiful in-4° of Algerian art. It is a waste of time to publish for this unhappy Algeria"...