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220 - MÉNEVAL (CLAUDE-FRANÇOIS). "IN MOSCOW. AS I WRITE, THE CITY …
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Estimate €20,000 - €30,000
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MÉNEVAL (CLAUDE-FRANÇOIS). "IN MOSCOW. AS I WRITE, THE CITY IS BURNING IN SEVERAL PLACES... IT IS A HORRIBLE AND IMPOSING SIGHT AT THE SAME TIME...". 31 autograph letters signed TO IMPERATRESS MARIE-LOUISE. Poland then Russia, 1st June-5th December 1812. All preserved in a paper folder with autograph title. PRECIOUS INTIMATE CORRESPONDENCE, IN PERSONAL COPIES ESTABLISHED DURING THE RUSSIAN CAMPAIGN, from Posen (Poznań) in Poland to Moscow, then from Moscow to Smorgoni, while he was at Napoleon I's side - he was only separated from him for a few days, mainly for health reasons, in June and December. Claude-François Méneval spoke in confidence, giving news of Napoleon I's state of health (and his own), giving details of the places where Napoleon I stayed (a farm, a modest house, a small wooden castle, a castle belonging to Prince Galitzine, the Kremlin, the Petrovsky Palace, etc.) and talking about the weather. He also talked about military operations and referred to the bulletins of the Grand Army, which he said he enclosed with his letters. He expressed himself more readily on the optimism and victories of the early part of the campaign than on the "annoyances" at the end. LE BARON MENEVAL, SECRETAIRE PARTICULIER DE NAPOLEON IER DE 1802 A 1812. A keen writer, Claude-François Méneval (1778-1850) frequented literary circles from an early age and met Roederer, who recruited him as an editor at the Journal de Paris. Having served a few months in the army under Louis Bonaparte, and speaking English, he was recommended by Roederer to Joseph Bonaparte who, having to conduct peace negotiations with the English at the beginning of the Consulate, was looking for a secretary. In 1802, Joseph Bonaparte in turn proposed him as a secretary to Napoleon, who had decided to part company with Bourrienne. Claude-François Méneval was 24 years old at the time and remained Napoleon I's closest collaborator until 1812, carrying out the exhausting task of drafting his correspondence, called upon at all times of the day and night, striving to follow the voice and sometimes the thoughts of the emperor, who dictated at great speed. In delicate health, he was replaced for a few days after Austerlitz by other secretaries who did not give satisfaction - when the cabinet was reorganised in 1806, Méneval retained the prerogatives of first secretary, with the key to Napoleon I's portfolios. Claude-François Méneval took part in all his trips to Austria, Prussia, Poland, Spain and Russia. However, this last campaign took its toll on his strength and he was forced to resign his position, which was officially entrusted to Agathon-Jean-François Fain in February 1813. He then became secretary to the Empress Marie-Louise, in whose confidence he was, and was appointed auditor to the Council of State. In 1814, he accompanied the empress out of Paris, then to Vienna, from where he passed on diplomatic information to Napoleon I. On his return from Vienna during the Hundred Days, he was warmly welcomed by the emperor who, after making him a knight of the Legion of Honour in 1806 and a baron in 1810, considered making him a minister and duke, but the defeat at Waterloo prevented him from doing so. Claude-François Méneval took over the guardianship of Count Léon, Napoleon I's natural child. On St Helena, the Emperor said: "He has never given me anything but satisfaction and pleasure, and I have loved him dearly", and he included him in his will for 100,000 francs. Baron Méneval published his Memoirs in 1827, kept in touch with Empire figures such as Lavalette, Marbot, Gourgaud and Bertrand, and was still able to attend the Return of the Ashes ceremony in 1840. - Vilna, 5 July 1812: "Allow me to thank Your Majesty for the kind letter she has written me and the flattering things it contains. My whole ambition is to please Your Majesty and to respond to the confidence with which the Emperor wishes to honour me. I have no news to give Your Majesty. The Emperor is still in Vilna, but he is not idle... everything is being organised here...". - Gloubokoïé, 20 July 1812: "The Emperor's affairs go according to his wishes. THE RUSSIANS ARE FLEEING ON ALL SIDES, and are abandoning their shops and artillery to us...". - Vitebsk, 4 August 1812: "I have the honour of sending Your Majesty the 11th Bulletin. She will see in it a very fine affair in which the regiment commanded by the brother of Madame [am]e the Duchess of Montebello has had a great deal of honour [Louis Guéheneuc, brother of Marshal Lannes, Marie-Louise's lady-in-waiting]... HERE THE EMPEROR LIVES HIS ORDINARY LIFE, WORKING IN HIS CABINET, RIDING AT 6 O'CLOCK TO SEE EVERYTHING WITH HIS EYES, having a parade in front of the palace every morning at seven o'clock. His Majesty enjoys excellent health. The heat is considered unbearable, and we are deprived even of the benefit of the cool nights...". - Vitebsk, 11 August 1812: "As the Emperor is writing two letters to Your Majesty today, I should have no reason to write to him. However, I beg you to allow me to take advantage of the occasion of his feast day, which will be the day on which this letter reaches His Majesty, to lay at his feet the homage of my respectful devotion and the wishes I dare to form for his happiness and the fulfilment of all his wishes...". - At the Smolensk bivouac", 18 August 1812: "THE EMPEROR DOES NOT WRITE TO YOUR MAJESTY, BECAUSE FOR TWO DAYS HE HAS BEEN CONTINUALLY ON HORSE; but apart from a little fatigue, His Majesty is enjoying perfect health. She is in the tent; the weather is superb. THE TROOPS ENTERED SMOLENSK WHICH THE RUSSIANS WANTED TO DEFEND; THEY SUFFERED CONSIDERABLE LOSSES THERE... " - Smolensk, 21 August 1812: "... SINCE THE CAPTURE OF SMOLENSK, SEVERAL VERY BRILLIANT EVENTS HAVE TAKEN PLACE... THE RUSSIANS ARE WITHDRAWING IN DISORDER. The heat is still extremely strong. The emperor is not bothered by it and continues to enjoy perfect health...". - Gjatsk, 3 September 1812: "... The country is abundant in everything necessary for life. The RUSSIAN ARMY IS EXTREMELY FATIGUE AND IN GREAT DISCOURAGEMENT; the generals are divided. These are great grounds for hope for the end of the campaign. - AU BIVOUAC PRES BORODINO", 6 September 1812: "... Monsieur de Beausset has arrived and brought the beautiful portrait of the King of Rome, which gave great pleasure to the Emperor. His Majesty has been in bivouac for two days. She is in very good health...". The Prefect of the Palace, Louis-François-Joseph de Beausset, had come to present this portrait on behalf of Empress Marie-Louise. - Mojaïsk, 9 September 1812: "THE EMPEROR HAS MANDATED TO YOUR MAJESTY THE VICTORY [OF L-LA MOSKOVA] WHICH HE WON ON THE 7th OVER THE RUSSES. The sudden change in the weather and the need for His Majesty to be on horseback for most of the night have given him a very bad cold and a sort of loss of voice...". - Mojaïsk, 10 September 1812: "I have the honour of sending Your Majesty the Bulletin of the battle of the 7th [victory of La Moskova]. The Emperor's cold is almost better. He has been in his room for three days. We hope he will be able to go out tomorrow without danger...". - Moscow, 15 September 1812: "As the courier has not been dispatched for three days, I have not had the opportunity to give Your Majesty any news of the Emperor's health. He continues to get better and better. His Majesty's cold is completely gone, and she is otherwise in perfect health. I have the honour of sending Your Majesty the 19th Bulletin which will give him some details about OUR ENTRY IN MOSCOW. AS I WRITE, THE CITY IS BURNING IN SEVERAL PLACES AND THERE IS NO WAY OF STOPPING THE PROGRESS OF THE FIRE, THE WIND BEING VERY VIOLENT; IT IS A HORRIBLE AND IMPOSING SIGHT AT THE SAME TIME...". - Moscow, Petrovsky Palace, 17 September 1812: "... THE FIRE HAS CONTINUED WITH VIOLENCE IN THE CITY, a very large part of which will be destroyed. The emperor is at the moment at Petrowski castle, in good health. The weather is very favourable. It is not cold and the sun shines all day long...". - Moscow, 19 September 1812: "The Emperor's health continues to be very good... THE FIRE IS BEGINNING TO CALM DOWN; BUT THE MISFORTUNATE CITY OF MOSCOW WILL NOT RECOVER FOR A LONG TIME from this dreadful disaster. The weather is very mild, it was even hot today and we had a great storm. The Kremlin, where the emperor is staying, has been preserved intact; it is the only part of the city where the fire has not wreaked havoc...". [ATTENTION truncated card - Full description in the catalogue (photo 3-7)]
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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 modified on 06/09/2026 at 3:43 PM
Lot description modified on 06/09/2026 at 3:43 PM
Pictures credits:
Michel Bury and Henri du Cray
See original version (French)
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