For the first time translated into English, Rainer Maria Rilke's Letters to a Young Painter collects 8 letters written to a teenaged Balthus between 1920 and 1926. It is the lesser known but a great companion to Rilke's infamous Letters to a Young Poet.
Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was a Bohemian-Austrian poet and novelist who remains one of the best selling poets today. He traveled extensively through Europe and is most well known for his contributions to German literature but also published in French as well.
Balthus (1908-2001) was a Polish-French modern artist that is most well known for his erotically charged paintings of young girls. He met Rilke around 1920 when his mother and Rilke became lovers. Rilke was impressed with Balthus' talents and helped him publish his first book in 1921.
This volume of letters paints an intimate portrait of RIlke as he nears the end of his life.
Introduction by Rachel Corbett.
Paperback, 64 pages, 4.25 inches x 7 inches, David Zwirner, November 2017.