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160
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HUGO, Victor (1802-1885). Autograph letter signed and addres…
See original version (French)
160
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HUGO, Victor (1802-1885). Autograph letter signed and addres…
See original version (French)
Estimate €600 - €800
Voluntary lot
Description
HUGO, Victor (1802-1885). Autograph letter signed and addressed to Baron Félix Hippolyte Larrey (1808-1895) physician to Napoléon III, at "4 place du Louvre". S.l., 10 August 1842. 3 pp. in-8. Fine address on verso of second leaf with postmarks.
SOMPTUOUS LETTER FROM VICTOR HUGO RELATING TO THE DEATH OF DOMINIQUE JEAN LARREY, chief surgeon of Napoleon I's imperial army:
"In reply to the letter you have done me the honour of writing to me, I hasten to inform you, Sir, that I have given the necessary orders for the Institute to be able to pay its last respects tomorrow to your worthy and honoured father, Baron Larrey. Others than myself, more competent and more eloquent, will speak of Mr Larrey's great merits and the Institute's deep regrets. Allow me, however, Sir, to tell you personally how deeply I have felt the great loss you have just suffered. Monsieur Larrey had mixed his name with all the glories of the Empire, and he was one of them himself. Every day we see the passing of one of those revered men who were among us like living reminders of a time of greatness. Before long, this dazzling sun that we call Napoleon's era will be completely eclipsed; it's a fatal law, it has to be, I know, but I am no less deeply saddened every time one of its rays is extinguished. It seems to me that the night of Glory is falling upon my country. Let us at least try, Monsieur, we who are the sons of these devoted and illustrious men, let us try to restore to France, through science, art and thought, a little of the splendour that war and victory had given it [...]". A fine signature.
Another rare letter from Hugo, addressed to the same person, on the same date and with the same content, sold at Christie's on 28 November 2017 (lot 460) for €2,000. This document bore no postal markings and was therefore certainly a minute.
Attached is a supplement from Gil Blas dated 27 February 1885 entitled "Le 83me anniversaire de Victor Hugo". This is a fine document (despite heavy tearing with few missing pages) containing reproductions of handwritten tributes to Victor Hugo by the great men of the day. They include Daudet, Sacher Masoch, Leconte de Lisle, Puvis de Chavannes, Pasteur, Banville, Zola, Coppée, Mistral, Liszt, Gounod, Saint-Saëns, Heredia, etc.
See original version (French)
Auto-translation. Refer to original language for legal validity.
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