Photo 1/1 du lot
Premium OSENAT

168 - MURAT (JOACHIM). Autograph letter signed with his initials, …
See original version (French)

Estimate €2,000 - €3,000
Sale commission
Description
MURAT (JOACHIM). Autograph letter signed with his initials, [TO PAULINE BONAPARTE]. Naples, 7 May 1814. 2 pp. 1/2 in-12 on wove paper gilt on edges. PAULINE INVITED TO NAPLES AT THE FALL OF THE EMPIRE. On her way to the waters of Gréoux-les-Bains, Pauline Bonaparte had stopped along the way, worried about the turn of events following the abdication of her brother the emperor. She rented a house belonging to the deputy Louis Charles, at Le Bouillidou, near Le Luc (Var), and was able to see Napoleon again, who stopped off there before heading to Fréjus to embark for Elba: Pauline gave up the house to him temporarily and went to stay at Rayol, near Le Muy. Joachim Murat having retained his crown, he invited his sister-in-law to Naples, where she spent the summer. "My dear sister, I have received your two letters, one from Roederer [Antoine-Marie Roederer, then Prefect of Trasimeno, who was for a time attached to the administration of the Kingdom of Naples under Murat] and the other from a courier. I WILL NOT LOSE A MINUTE TO SEND YOU A FREGATE; my dear sister, you should not doubt how happy we are to see you again. YOU GIVE ME GREAT PLEASURE IN GIVING ME NEWS OF THE EMPEROR. You, who know my heart, must be the judge of what I am suffering, but you need courage and patience. Mama is on her way to Rome, along with Faich [Letizia Bonaparte and her half-brother, Cardinal Joseph Fesch]. Farewell, my sister, come quickly and stay healthy. Farewell, I embrace you with all my heart. Your affectionate brother JM... " AUTOGRAPH APOSTILLE SIGNED BY LOUIS MARCHAND: "This letter was written to Princess Pauline by the King [of] Naples and addressed to Le Muy near Fréjus...". THE COUNT LOUIS MARCHAND WAS ONE OF NAPOLEON I'S EXIL COMPANIONS AT SAINTE-HELENE: the son of a protégé of Madame de Montesquiou who became the King of Rome's cradlemaid and followed him to Vienna, Louis Joseph Marchand (1791-1876) was appointed Napoleon I's first valet de chambre in April 1814. He remained attached to him until his death, following him to Elba and St Helena. There, his devotion and discretion won him the complete trust and attachment of the emperor, who made him one of his executors and wrote in his will: "the services he has rendered me are those of a friend". Marchand took part in the voyage of the Return of the Ashes, and held the stove at the state funeral. He left a memoir that was not published until 1952
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
About the sale The Empire at Fontainebleau - Second day
Auction location
Auction time 06/21/2026 at 10:30 AM
Pictures credits:
Michel Bury and Henri du Cray
See original version (French)
You may also like