Brief aan Filippo Tessaro after 1890

This is a letter written in 1889 or 1890 by Jozef Israëls, a Dutch painter associated with the Hague School, from the Grand Hotel in Paris. It is addressed to Filippo Tessaro. The letter provides a rare and intimate glimpse into the social networks that sustained artistic life during the late 19th century. Written from a luxury hotel, it reflects the increasing commercialization of art and the artist’s role within a market economy. Israëls mentions family matters, hinting at the personal demands that intersected with his professional life. It is interesting to note his location and the hotel's stationary, offering a sense of the artist’s social standing and mobility. To fully understand this letter, we might consult the archives of art dealers, collectors, and other artists who circulated in Israëls’s orbit. Letters like this one are invaluable resources for understanding the complex social conditions that shaped artistic production and exchange during this period.