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219 - MARIE-LOUISE (IMPERATRICE). [DEPARTURE FOR THE RUSSIAN CAMPA…
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
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MARIE-LOUISE (IMPERATRICE). [DEPARTURE FOR THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN: "I AM TERRIBLY SAD..."] Autograph letter signed "Louise", addressed to her "dear duchess" [A LA MARECHAL LANNES, duchesse de Montebello Louise Guéhenneuc, veuve du maréchal Lannes]. S.l., [April or early May 1812]. 1 p. 1/2 in12. Napoleon I was shortly afterwards to take Marie-Louise to Germany, from where he would leave her to lead the Grande Armée into Russian territory. "My dear duchess! I have just received your letter and I am going down to the Emperor to ask what I should do because of Mr Lacépède. I will start by scolding you for not telling me anything about your health... and what Monsieur Corvisart [Napoleon I's personal physician, Jean-Nicolas Corvisart] ordered you to do. I want details of everything that interests you. I AM CURRENTLY TAKING A DRUG THAT HE ORDERED. HE HAS FINALLY FOUND ME SICK and has told me that I need to look after myself and take something when I am alone in St-Cloud [Marie-Louise, a bit of a hypochondriac, often complained of minor or imaginary illnesses]. I still have his fingerprints in my stomach, and I think he found something wrong there, because he told me he was glad to have examined me and had me undergo treatment. He was also angry about a bet he lost to me, but that's a story too long to write and I'll tell you about it. I promise not to eat, as I haven't been hungry for at least eight days. I hope you won't say that this nausea is a consequence of pregnancy. MY STOMACH STILL HURTS AND I'M TERRIBLY SAD... [Marie-Louise took up her pen again shortly afterwards to write:] "I have just taken the drug. "I HAVE JUST TAKEN THE DRUG. YOU REALLY HAVE TO HAVE ALL THE CONFIDENCE I HAVE IN MR CORVISART NOT TO BELIEVE SHE HAS BEEN POISONED... The EMPEROR tells me to let Mr de Lacépède know this evening to come at 8 or 8.30, so I beg you to let him know straight away. Please accept my warmest regards...". DAME D'HONNEUR DE L'IMPERATRICE MARIE-LOUISE, LA MARECHALE LANNES (1782-1856) had been widowed in 1809. The daughter of senator François-Scholastique Guéheneuc, she was Josephine's lady of the palace before becoming Marie-Louise's lady-in-waiting.
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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)
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