Théophile-Alexandre STEINLEN. 6 L.A.S., Paris 1910-1913, to his sister Henriette and brother-in-law Auguste Compondu; 32 pages in-8 and 4 pages in-4. Interesting family correspondence. [Henriette Steinlen married Auguste Compondu (1858-1914)]. 1910, to Auguste. January 2. Worried that he has not heard from his nephew Louis, who has returned to spend the holidays with his family. He had to give up his studio, which had become too small, for a larger one, which will force Louis to find other lodgings; but he will be able to find a room next door and continue to dine at Steinlen's... The first thing he will do this year is settle his debt, thanking his brother-in-law for having been such a patient creditor: his fellow artists have always said that in their line of work, it's hardly until you're fifty that you can hope to earn a bit of money, and the year is indeed off to a good start... June 8. He gives news of his wife Émilie, who is a little better: she has regained consciousness despite her terrible suffering, but remains very aphasic and expresses herself only in tears and moans... He was especially keen to inform Auguste that his son Louis has "signed a contract with the French Abyssinian railway company (Djibouti-Adisabeba) [...] for a boy of his age this is a remarkable situation". He reassures them about the remoteness and the climate, and explains that the decision had to be taken very quickly because of the competition, which prevented Louis from consulting his family: the opportunity had to be seized...November 14, 1912, to Henriette. Condolences on their bereavement, but is happy to hear that all is well at home.... He had to cut short his stay in Jouy, as Inghelbrecht [his daughter Colette's husband] was due to return to Paris: "A great music theater [...] is being built and founded on the Champs-Élysées. The director and founder was a friend, whom he had already put in touch with Inghel, who succeeded in obtaining a position there "which involves all the excessively important preparatory work: recruitment and organization of the orchestra and chorus, and subsequently one of the orchestral conductors". In addition, he had to stay in Paris to prepare an exhibition in Brussels, which was cancelled, and on which he had high hopes. He is thinking of holding one in Amsterdam towards the end of January "at one of the big dealers there [...] with a better chance of success"... January 1, 1913, to Auguste. He thanks him "for the sacrifice you are making of the interest on the money I was pleased to be able to return to you after so many years". He expects to make enough money from his little exhibition to pay them a visit this summer, among other things. He is delighted by the good news: their children have grown up, are engaged, have children of their own... With these young people, "we form the most united of little households, and for my part I am very happy to see my works finally fetch good prices [...] on public sale, and thus obtain (without my ever having made the slightest concession to the public) the moral and material result I have been pursuing for 30 years". He is offered an exhibition in Lausanne, but plans to postpone it until the end of a European tour, from London to Moscow, and in all the major cities of Europe: "Thus, my reputation better established after that, I'll have the chance to be a better prophet in my home country". He thanks them for the gifts: an excellent pâté, a marvellous soup tureen, the sweets he's always so fond of, the vacherin, and so on. - Monday morning, to Henriette. He's sorry to hear that Louis is ill; he's been there: it's painful but not serious. He recommends having his tonsils out. As for Émilie, she's still wobbly... - May 16, to Henriette. He hopes to finish the work he is doing at the beginning of June "so as to be able to return home before the end of the exhibition"; Inghel is in great need of rest, as "at the same time as his work at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, he will be busy with the music for a dozen performances of Ida Rubinstein at the Châtelet"... - October 25, 1913. He was very happy to welcome his charming niece Marguerite, and would have liked to keep her on; she has arrived in London. He would have liked to accompany her, having received an invitation from a painter friend, but he has an exhibition in Amsterdam, and another planned in Dresden in December, and in March in Zurich: "I have no time to lose if I am to meet the commitments that have been made [...] by the Paris dealer who will act as intermediary"...