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Lot #438
Gustave Flaubert Autograph Letter Signed on the Premiere of Louis Bouilhet's First Play

Flaubert aids his best friend, fellow writer Louis Bouilhet: "I have been asked by Bouilhet, overwhelmed with fatigue, to warn you that the first performance is only on Thursday the 6th"

Estimate: $800+

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Server Time: 12/01/2024 12:19:59 AM EST
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Description

Flaubert aids his best friend, fellow writer Louis Bouilhet: "I have been asked by Bouilhet, overwhelmed with fatigue, to warn you that the first performance is only on Thursday the 6th"

Celebrated French novelist (1821-1880) best known for his classics Madame Bovary, Salammbo, and A Sentimental Education. ALS in French, signed “Gve. Flaubert,” one page, 5.25 x 8.25, dated October 31, 1856 by the recipient. Handwritten letter to his friend Jean Clogenson, sent prior to the premiere of Louis Bouilhet's first play, Madame de Montarcy, at the Odéon on November 6th. In part (translated): "I have been asked by Bouilhet, overwhelmed with fatigue, to warn you that the first performance is only on Thursday the 6th. He would be very happy to see you on the 5th, if that is possible. I am happy, Sir, to have this opportunity to shake your hand—and to make your acquaintance, so long desired." Annotated by Clogenson with the date at upper left, as well as a brief description on the second integral leaf. In fine condition.

Bouilhet was Flaubert's mentor, guide, and best friend; Flaubert never wrote anything without his advice. A few months after Bouilhet's death in 1869, Flaubert wrote about his old friend: 'When I lost my poor Bouilhet, I lost my midwife, the man who saw more clearly into my mind than I did myself.'

Auction Info

  • Auction Title: Fine Autograph and Artifacts Featuring Science & Technology and Animation
  • Dates: November 22, 2024 - December 11, 2024





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