"... oui il y aura des livres si vous en voulez.."

Signed autograph letter from Pierre-André Benoit (13 lines in black ink written from his château de Rivières-de-Theyrargues in the Gard which he has occupied since 1970) addressed to the bookseller Pierre Clerc who had sent him his wishes for the year 1986.
Fold mark inherent to envelope insertion. Pierre Clerc has inscribed, in pencil at the top of the letter, the name and surname of his correspondent.
Pierre-André Benoit believes his correspondent is busy with his summer occupations, particularly mycological : "... vous êtes sans doite à Chateauneuf de Randon et les champignons ne doivent pas manquer.." ["... you are no doubt at Chateauneuf de Randon and mushrooms must not be lacking.."] and reassures his bookseller friend eager to stock up on his luxurious editions with confidential print runs: "... Venez déjeuner. oui il y aura des livres si vous en voulez. A bientôt." ["... Come to lunch. yes there will be books if you want them. See you soon."]
Poet, painter, engraver, Pierre-André Benoit or P.A.B. was above all a typographer and printer who produced more than 400 illustrated works bringing together the greatest post-war poets with the most talented painters of the second half of the 20th century.
P.A.B.'s productions were first created on a small press installed in his apartment in Alès. They brought together his poet friends René Char, André Breton, Paul Eluard, Paul Claudel, Erik Satie, Tristan Tzara and his painter friends Joan Miro, Georges Braque, Jean Dubuffet, Francis Picabia, Marcel Duchamp and Pablo Picasso. In 1949, he began using engraving on celluloid which allowed him to make the prints himself and produce the books entirely. From his modern château at Rivières-de-Theyrargues, in the Gard, he would eventually illustrate his works himself while continuing to work with his faithful friends Camille Bryen and Pierre Alechinsky.