Three autograph letters signed by Gérard de Nerval (2 pages signed « Gérard »), Théophile Gautier (1 page), and a third, unsigned letter (1 page) penned by a certain « Robert » (cf. Nerval's letter)
Louis Desessart, Théophile Gautier's appointed publisher, co-published Nerval’s play Léo Burckart with Barba in 1839. Following financial difficulties, he was forced to take refuge « in that sad and charming city of Brussels ».
The three friends wrote this letter from Paris, where they had reunited following Nerval’s long journey to the East: « I spent six months in Egypt; then three months in Syria – four months in Constantinople, and the rest en route. It’s quite beautiful. I only enjoy myself while traveling and try to live twice as much as I can. »
This journey deeply impressed Théophile Gautier, who would only travel to Turkey and Egypt years later: « I am in Paris and wish I were in Cairo, from where Gérard is returning. » The exoticism of distant lands starkly contrasts with the melancholy and severity of Europe: « How sad Paris is when one returns from sunlit countries. » (Nerval) And in Paris, far from dreams of escape, life means toil and melancholy:
« We are like sick people who are never comfortable anywhere. I think the good times are gone, and the golden hours of the past when we spoke such wise follies will never return. What’s the point of living if we must work and cannot see our friends or write to them or do anything we would like? » (Gautier)
The two writers express great compassion for their friend’s Belgian exile, with Brussels appearing as the capital of spleen: « What ! You’re still in that sad and charming city of Brussels ! [...] Brussels is even darker, poor fellow ! » (Nerval)
This joint letter was in fact initiated by « Robert » :
« Isn’t it true, my dear friend, that I’m quite skilled at making you forget my faults? [...] as a way of making it up to you, I’m sending you the autographs of two of your [...] comrades, your fondest memories, two men of fame who, despite all their affection and friendship for you, would never have written a word had I not trimmed their quills and handed them paper like sulky children, and told them : write at once, at once to the exile you love most. »
An album containing 14 gouaches on silk, including 12 erotic paintings. The first painting on each side of the folding shows a bird and on the other side maple leaves, thus masking on each of the first pages the erotic aspect of the collection. Shunga is the generic Japanese term that designates erotic art, it literally means Spring Image, spring being a euphemism and figure of style expressing sexuality. The term Shunga having been reserved for a long time for prints, collections or albums have often been designated by the appellation Pillow Books, or notes for the pillow, etc. (Utamaro: The Song of the Pillow, 1788).
Japanese accordion album covered with damask silk with flowers and birds in pale gold. Silk band on the first cover serving as a label but mute. Each painting 12.8x16cm is mounted on cardboard. The cardboard folding sections are covered with cream paper speckled with gold. Very fine condition, edges rubbed, with small lacks to fabric.
The paintings respect the canons of Japanese erotic representation: oversized genitals, body hair, women with white skin and men of flesh color. No decorative element comes to distract the eye from the sexual act (only one painting contains a mirror), the bodies being most of the time clothed in rich kimonos. These collections were still in the modern era offered to newlyweds, particularly to women. The whole is of fine workmanship, the 2 introductory paintings, the bird and the maple leaves are particularly successful.
This type of representation was forbidden in Japan and therefore contains no signature, it is however evident that there existed painters whose profession and specialty this was and whom one went to see for private commissions; it is also not forbidden to think that the painter made several on his own initiative and that he offered them for sale, as was done with collections of colored photographs at the end of the 19th century.
Precious and rare ensemble in superb condition.
First edition. This pamphlet contains no editorial information, an understandable absence in these times of repression.
Modern Bradel cardboard binding. Smooth spine with a long burgundy shagreen title-label. lacks to head. Joints rubbed. The cardboard is covered with a reproduction of a naive engraving in the style of chapbook editions, with a caption: Louis XVIII Le Désiré, King of France and Navarre, praying for his brother.
Bookplate, circa 1920 with the letter R on a floral background. A facsimile of the account of the king's death referenced in the text has been pasted onto the endpapers.
Testimony on the events that preceded Louis XVI's execution, his conduct, his requests, etc. Anecdote about his farewell to Malesherbes, the day before.
Collection assembled by an anonymous hand of chromolithographs and engravings. Numerous pages with various frames, Gothic and ornamental, intended to receive engravings. Frontispiece in chromolithography heightened with colors. The papers intended to receive drawings, engravings or chromos are of various colors: blue, green, cream, pink. The collection ends with music sheets that have remained blank.
English publisher's binding in full burgundy shagreen. Smooth spine decorated with a large ornamental Romantic plaque. Boards with a central raised rectangle decorated with a large stamp with the inscription: Album orné, blind-stamped frame. Rich Renaissance frieze in framing paper. Blind-stamped framing frieze and framing fillets with small corner stamps. Endpaper representing a large lace pattern.
This type of collection, intended for families and filled with engravings or drawings, is a beautiful and rare testimony of the Romantic era. Dressed in a rich publisher's binding, it was made to adorn drawing rooms. The pages have one or several frames and therefore one or several engravings that were cut out and then pasted. One finds engravings, lithographs, some in color, 2 drawings, a wash drawing, all on 60 leaves.
Rare testimony of the Romantic era, family or personal keepsake, in a rich English publisher's binding.
NB: This work is available at the bookshop on request within 48 hours.
Erotic manuscript consisting of two beveled wooden boards with two paintings and 10 leaves with a painting on the recto and a handwritten Tibetan text on the recto. The text is the same on the 10 leaves, it is a mantra. On two of the leaves it is almost completely erased. On the recto of the two wooden boards there are also two different handwritten mantras. The paintings are executed directly on the wood and the leaves. The dimensions of the paintings vary somewhat, from 5.5 cm, 6 cm to 12, 14 cm in width.
This form, 2 pieces of wood with leaves in the middle, is traditional. The whole was often attached by a string, or by holes in the wood through which a string was passed. Very good condition overall, with small stains on the paintings on wood.
The paintings unfold 12 sexual positions in an abstract and geometric environment, composed of curves. In several paintings the colors of the background, of the ground change. The woman systematically wears a crown. It is easy to distinguish the religious or sacred character of sexuality in these images. The colors used are vivid, with an omnipresence of orange, golden and white strokes, yellow...
First edition.
Worn contemporary half brown sheep binding. Spine with raised bands and ornament. Beige morocco title label. Head torn away with first compartment partly lacking. Tail trimmed. Upper joint cracked, lower joint split with losses. Corners cut. Trace of label on second compartment.
Two large sections divide this work. The first catalogs and describes the paintings present in the churches and castles from Lille to Antwerp, and this for all the cities of Flanders (Dunkirk, Brussels, Bruges...). The second part consists of biographies of famous painters of Flanders: Rubens, Van Dyck, Otto Van Veen, Jordaens, Van Cleef, Van Oost, etc.
Original ink wash drawing. Of pleasant sepia color, in perfect state of preservation. It represents an Italian landscape, executed in the first quarter of the 19th century. The author signed his drawing at lower right.
Rome in the 19th century was a place of convergence for European artists. The finest among them came there to train by copying paintings of Renaissance masters. It was also an opportunity for them to paint or draw the landscapes and nature of Latium.
