“My Dear Bernard,
You wanted this circus. So it didn’t take us long to come to an agreement. A bit eccentric, both of us, as they say—I quickly realized that you wanted to work for your own enjoyment and that, as a result, I was going to find myself facing a difficult undertaking. I’ve known many great artists, and I’ve done little else but what I’ve enjoyed. You could be my son, Bernard, and I love your entire body of work, but you… you love the circus, the smell of the circus, the clowns, the horses, and everyone who makes up the show that you love.
So, into the ring! The ringmaster is about to ring the opening bell! I’m not worried, because this work—which you’re creating with your talent, your heart, and that kind of passion that those close to you know so well—will remain a moving work in these rather sadly crazy times. The first lithographs, already printed, give a glimpse of what the final result will be: a “monument” to the glory of the Circus and Bernard Buffet.
Your friend,
Fernand Mourlot”
1966
