In his studio our painter friend has always shown us his artist treasures, his stores of beauty. Canvas upon canvas flowers children faces landscapes characters born out of his imagination trees in profusion, for a tree, what apotheosis! he paints it as seen in every season, houses taken from our tradition, grandiose scenes familiar scenes, scenes of prayer great works for great occasions. 

But today for the first time, in supreme generosity, the painter has unveiled his palette, the palette of the year. For the first time he has let us enter his privacy, but with what discretion, with what speed, almost stealthily, for the palette belongs to his personal life. 

At the edges a thick layer of colors one on the other, in the center the favorite theme of the year and the palette being this year devoted to the donkey, a lovely little donkey is seen having red poppies crowning his head. 

Faithful witness  of his cares and his stress, 
companion of his strong emotions,  the palette has so vibrated  with the flashes of genius, 
and in the moments of creation has so trembled  with each invention,  that  bearing the imprint of this relation  it has become almost alive  and I would be a little surprised if the colors brought together  began one day to germinate. 

  
They would give rise to tall vegetation,  to flowers, to hay  and to thistles and this would be all so lush,  so ravishing, so enticing,  all these clusters,  it would be so appetizing  that the little donkey  would be tempted,  and if one day he felt hungry,  he might start grazing.

Andrée Thoumy
(From the book "Filigranes")

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