Search Results: Authors starting with D from Le Manuscrit Français

DALÍ, Salvador (1904-198
Original drawings and autograph poem (charcoal on paper)
N.p.n.d [c. 1935], 1 p. in-8° (16 x 20,5 cm)
Some spots
Unpublished poem with superb pencil studies representing surrealist shapes, faces, as well as a masturbation scene


Superb pencil drawings, some of surrealist shapes, others representing faces or a scene of masturbation and fellatio.
The Catalan painter has added an exquisite corpse, which he calls "descriptive poem", which to our knowledge remained unpublished to this day.
Dalí titled the poem "imperceptible outbreak of nutrition", he writes, as usual, in phonetic French:
" ge pique ta nuque
ge coupe ton pique
ge nuque ta coupe
ge vide mon mal
J'avale ta male
[…] "
1935 is a turning point in the creation process for the Catalan master. Dalí found the surrealist works too limited, the impossibility of going further in the exploration of this world led him to proceed to a work of introspection leading to paranoia. He worked on this aspect of himself and… Read More

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)
Autograph letter signed " Le Vte de Chateaubriand " to a gentleman
Paris, 29th 7bre [September] 1815, 4 pp. in-8
Numerous corrections by Chateaubriand on page 2 and 3
Collection stamp on fourth page, previous mounting on left margin
Exceptional letter evoking his acceptance speech at the Academy and the fury of Emperor Napoleon that it provoked


" Je vous remercie, Monsieur, du manuscrit que vous avez bien voulu me communiquer. Il y a quelque chose de vrai dans la note de votre auteur [J.E. Chetwode] ; mais la phrase citée se trouvait dans mon discours même, et venait à la suite d'un morceau très vif contre les Régicides. Ce fut un morceau et un autre, où je réclamais la liberté de la pensée, qui amenèrent les fureurs de Buonaparte et ses nouvelles menaces de me faire fusiller, si jamais mon discours était prononcé en public. J'avais reçu l'ordre du duc de Rovigo de me présenter pour candidat à l'institut, sous peine d'être enfermé… Read More

CHATEAUBRIAND (de), François-René (1768-1848)
Autograph letter to Léonce de LavergneParis, 6th August 1838, 3 p. 1/2 small in-4° on bifolioDry stamp "Weyne" in the upper margin
Remarkable letter of Chateaubriand evoking with romanticism his stay in the South of France and more particularly Golfe-Juan, on the path of Napoléon's "last step", marking the genesis of the Cent-jours that the writer he took up in his Mémoires d'outre-tombe

" Je relis, Monsieur, en arrivant à Paris, la bonne, aimable et longue lettre que j'ai reçue de vous en courant les chemins de notre aimable Languedoc. Quoi vous auriez accepté une place dans une pauvre catèdre ? … Combien j'aurais été heureux ! mais pourtant le temps ne vous aurait-il pas manqué ? Je n'ai pu voir ni St Rémy, ni St Gilles ; j'ai vu Aigues-Mortes, merveille du treizième siècle, coincée toute entière sur nos rivages. J'ai aperçu la Camargue qui seule mériterait un voyage exprès et où l'on retrouverait des villes oubliées. Enfin que… Read More

NERVAL (de), Gérard (1808-1855)
Autograph letter signed " Gérard de Nerval " to Arsène Houssaye
[N.p], March 1850, 1/2 p. in-8 on bi-folio, autograph address on verso
Some browning, spots and fold marks
Nerval asks his friend Houssaye for theatre tickets


" Mon cher Houssaye,
Voulez vous ou pouvez vous ce soir me faire donner ou donnez places stalles de dames ou une petite loge selon les prévisions de la recette.
Votre affectionné
Gérard de Nerval "


Arsène Houssaye (1814-1896) was a long-time friend of Nerval. In 1849 he had been appointed general administrator of the Comédie-Française.
Beautiful and complete signature of his nom de plume

MAUPASSANT, Guy de (1850-1893)
Period albumen print by Benque & Co
[c. 1885], mounted on this cardboard and signed on lower margin, cabinet format (10,5 x 15,4 cm)
Small stain on lower margin of the mounting
Very scarce original portrait of the novelist by Benque & Co


We know the reluctance that Maupassant had to be photographed. He threatened a lawsuit pending thy publisher Charpentier in 1890 for desmoulin's unauthorized distribution of an etching from a photograph by Liebert.
He believed that they were part of private life and that the writer should be judged only by his works. This repugnance to see his effigy delivered to the curiosity of the crowd is certainly also proof of a certain "dull fear of a split personality, of a dispersion of his physical appearance, of a triumph of the Horla who would have taken his features and strutted in the world" (H. Troyat). Maupassant's original photographs are therefore all the more valuable.
There are very few other copies of this print, including one sent… Read More

TOULOUSE-LAUTREC, Henri de (1864-1901)
Autograph letter signed " Your boy H " to his mother Adèle Zoë Tapié de Céleyran
[Villiers-sur-Morin, fall 1886], 4 p. in-12
Superb immersive letter in the art of Toulouse-Lautrec, then in the process of decorating of the inn of Villiers-sur-Morin – The painter reveals his "plan" to go and kiss Louis Anquetin and Claude Monet in Normandy and then develops with poetry on his disillusionments and artistic consolations since the summer


" Ma chère Maman
Je suis dans la béatitude d'un pays frais. Après cinq jours de farniente je me suis enchargé dans une decoration de l'auberge de Villiers sur Morin. Au grand plaisir du patron de l'établissement qui me paie a boire toute la journée. Je voltige d'échelle en échelle.. et suis très content. Je vous remercie au nom de Grenier de votre hospitalité charmante. Nous viendrons vers le 25,26,27, approximativement.
Le Courrier Français me fait toujours des avances, et son dossier est toujours en train. Je… Read More

BALZAC (de), Honoré (1799-1850)
Autograph letter signed " de Balzac " to Charles Motte[Paris], 8 8bre [October 1831], 2 p. in-8°, autograph address on fourth pageSome light stains, central fold skillfully repaired, slight missing on second folio (see scans)Some words crossed of by the hand of Balzac himsef
Balzac sends his Romans et contes philosophiques to his correspondent, which include the legendary La Peau de chagrin and Le Chef-d'oeuvre inconnu
" Mon cher Monsieur Motte, je n'ai pas perdu le souvenir des obligations que j'ai contractées envers vous – Vous m'avez donné de charmantes lithographies et je vous promis de vous faire des articles. Ils n'ont point été faits et cette conduite constituerait une sorte d'indélicatesse très éloignée de mon caractère ; mais La Mode a changé de maîtres à cette époque(1); je me suis brouillé avec Le Temps ; et les occasions de vous servir n'ont pas répondu au désir que j'en avais. Voilà l'histoire de mon manque de foi apparent ; perdonate… Read More

BEAUVOIR (de), Simone (1908-1986)
Autograph manuscript (fragments) accompanied by an autograph letter signed addressed to hes typist for La Longue Marche – Essai sur la Chine
[Paris, 1956] 15 pages in-4°, with two autograph envelopes
Usual fold marks
Some of the last remaining folios for her essay La Longue Marche – Essai sur la Chine, an account of the official trip she made with Jean-Paul Sartre to China, from September 6 to October 6, 1955


There are three parts in these manuscript fragments:
The first fragment bears in the lead: "2 to 5 September 55", and is paginated 25 to 30 (with a bis). It corresponds to the "Preliminaries" and opens with observations of travelers in the waiting room of Orly Airport, well dressed, taking off for Boston, contrasting with other travelers, soberly dressed, who will fly on an "official expedition" to Moscow…
Simone de Beauvoir takes notes on the Soviets, Hungarians and Czechs at Moscow airfield, and on a South African, also an official guest of the Chinese… Read More

BEAUVOIR, Simone de (1908-1986)
Autograph manuscript for her essay Must we burn Sade ?
N.p.n.d [1951], 7 pages in-4 on grid paper
Some corrections, one crossed off paragraph from her hand, clipper mark on first sheet
Remarkable autograph manuscript for her famous essay Must we burn Sade ?


This manuscript contains slight variations with the published one.
" En quoi mérite-t-il de nous intéresser ? Ses admirateurs mêmes reconnaissent volontiers que son œuvre est dans sa plus grande partie illisible ; philosophiquement elle n'échappe à la banalité que pour sombrer dans l'incohérence. Quant à ses rêves, ils n'étonnent pas par leur originalité ; dans ce domaine, Sade n'a rien inventé et on rencontre à foison dans des traités de psychiatrie des cas pour le moins aussi étranges que le sien. En vérité, ce n'est ni comme auteur, ni comme perverti sexuel que Sade s'impose à notre attention : c'est par la relation qu'il a créée entre ces deux aspects de lui-même. Les anomalies de Sade… Read More

DELACROIX, Eugène (1798-1863)
Autograph letter signed " E. Delacroix " to Félix Guillemardet[Souillac], 30 8bre [October] 1820, 3 p. 1/2 large in-4°Broken wax seal with small missing bit, tiny ink corrosion holes in placesA few words crossed off from his hand
Autograph address on fourth page:" À Monsieur Félix Guillemardet, rue Louis-le-Grand, à Paris "
A scarce and long letter from Young Delacroix, evoking his artistic idleness and his ardent desire to reunite with his circle of friends
" Vous êtes des amis fidèles et exacts. Je vous remercie bien tous de ne pas m'oublier ; je te dois en particulier des remerciements. Au moment de rentrer pour longtemps dans la poussière d'une étude, c'est quelque chose que de sacrifier une promenade par un beau temps, pour prendre la plume pendant une heure ou deux. Mais je suis un sot et je dois juger d'après mes propres sentiments de ce que tu éprouves en écrivant à un ami. C'est un plaisir bien doux […] C'est une chose si pénible que l'absence !… Read More

DELACROIX, Eugène (1798-1863)
Autograph letter signed " E Delacroix " to an unknown recipient
[Paris, 6 rue de Fürstenberg], 15 July 1863
1 page in-8 on double sheet.
Fold marks, some light stains.
Moving letter from Delacroix, one of his very last ones, less than a month before his passing


"Monsieur, Je garde la chambre et suis dans l'impossibilité de sortir. Je désirerais que vous ayez la bonté de faire suivant l'usage un certificat de vie, qui dans ces occasions demandent je crois votre intervention particulière. C'est une rente sur la national. Ayez monsieur les assurances de ma considération la plus distinguée. E Delacroix"


Delacroix's health had considerably deteriorated at the beginning of July 1863, evidenced here by an unprecise writing. The following week, he would confess to his long term friend George Sand "Writing is for me unbearable" . He would pass away on August 13th 1863.
This letter is not published in the general correspondence by Joubin.

DESBORDES-VALMORE, Marceline (1786-1859)
Autograph poem : " Romance " [Seule au Rendez-vous]N.p.n.d [after 1833], 1 p. 1/2 in-8° with her initials on top left cornerSlight missing bit on second folio (without affecting the text)
From the Rodocanachi library
One of Marceline Desbordes-Valmore's most beautiful poems, from her collection Les Pleurs

Several unpublished variants are to be observed with the published version, including an inversion of stanzas 2 and 3
Entitled "Romance" here, the title of the poem as published is Seule au rendez-vous
" Ô menteur ! qui disait sa vie,Nouée au fuseau de mon sort,Criant au ciel que son envieÉtait de mourir de ma mort :Éclos sous le feu de mon ame,Tremblant de s'y brûler un jour,Il jeta des pleurs sur la flamme :Ô menteur ! ô menteur d'amour !
Ivres d'un bonheur solitaire,Nos ailes ont touché les cieux ;Mais il est enfant de la terre ;Il y retombe curieux.à mes yeux plein de ses traits d'AngeLe monde est voilé sans Retour ;mais il a changé, le ciel… Read More

SADE, Donatien-Alphonse-François, marquis de (1740-1814)
Autograph letter signed "de Sade" to his aunt Gabrielle-Eléonore de Sade
N.p, 22nd April [1790], 3 pp. in-8vo
Long and powerful letter from the Marquis de Sade, just after his release from the hospice of Charenton. He shouts with rage the injustice done to him by his in-laws, these "monsters", and mourns the loss of his precious manuscripts – including The 120 Days of Sodom – during the storming of the Bastille the previous year.
"My room was searched and I lost everything... precious works, the fruit of fifteen years' work, I have saved nothing... and all this through the fault of those wretched rascals whom I hope God will one day avenge me"


" Je manquerais au plus cher et au plus sacré de mes devoirs, ma chère tante, si je ne vous informais pas que je viens d'obtenir enfin ma liberté ; il ne manquerait à mon bonheur que la satisfaction de pouvoir vous embrasser tout de suite et j'y volerai sans doute, si des affaires majeures ne… Read More

DORVAL, Marie (1798-1849)
A set of twenty-two autograph letters, of which three are signed, to Alfred de Vigny[Paris, Reims, Versailles and Rouen], 72 p. in various formats, in-8° , in-12° and in-24°, two autograph envelopesSome small defects, tears, frayed margins and broken wax seals
A remarkable collection of twenty-two letters to her lover Alfred de Vigny, mostly dating from the first half of 1833Between fiery declarations, deceptions and jealousy, this correspondence bears witness to the most ardent period of love between the two lovers

Marie Dorval had her first successes as an actress in the 1820s. She became the mistress of Jean-Toussaint Merle, director of the Porte-Saint-Martin theatre, from 1822 to 1826, before marrying him in 1829. Although they were always bound by a sincere attachment, the couple gave each other mutual freedom in their married life. The actress' artistic consecration came in 1831, when she played the role of Adèle in Dumas' play Antony, making her the embodiment of… Read More

DOSTOEVSKY, Fyodor (1821-1881)
Period albumen portrait by Vezenberg & CoSaint Petersburg [1879], cdv formatMounted on thin cardboard in the photorapher's creditSome superficial stains and flaws (see scan)
Very scarce portrait of the author of Crime and Punishment

This portrait, which has remained famous in the writer's iconography, shows Dostoevsky with a piercing gaze and a slight smile.
Good condition throughout.
Iconography:Album Dostoïevski, éd. G. Aucouturier et C. Menuet, Pléiade, p. 333, n°531