VOLTAIRE (François-Marie Arouet, dit) [Paris, 1694 - id., 17 - Lot 63

Lot 63
Go to lot
Estimation :
2000 - 3000 EUR
Result without fees
Result : 3 800EUR
VOLTAIRE (François-Marie Arouet, dit) [Paris, 1694 - id., 17 - Lot 63
VOLTAIRE (François-Marie Arouet, dit) [Paris, 1694 - id., 1778], French writer. Letter signed "Voltaire", addressed to M. Gravelot. "At Les Délices near Geneva, June 15, 1757. 2 1/2 pages in-4°, address with Geneva postmark. The letter is written by Jean-Louis Wagnière. Superb letter of congratulations on the drawings that Gravelot proposed to him (manuscript of 3 pages attached) for La Henriade. "You are also entitled, Sir, to my esteem and my gratitude. La Henriade would be worth much more if I had done paintings as striking as yours. I was charmed by the two designs that Mons. Crammer showed me. I don't know if in the St Barthelemy drawing, the character who carries a torch in one hand, and a sword in the other, holds them in a rather terrible attitude. I don't know if it would not be appropriate for his face to be seen, for him to appear inflamed with fury & for him to have a helmet on his head instead of a hat. It is up to you, Sir, to decide. I would not hate it if a few monks & a few armed priests were to sing for the fourth time; the weeping religion looking at them with indignation; discord at their head, & the Duke of Mayenne with some liquors on a balcony smiling at this monastic militia. As one has already engraved the assassination of Henri three for the fifth song, I believe that the magic conjurations of the Sixteen could provide a very picturesque subject. It is easy to make Henri four resemble, one could draw him on a chariot crossing the airs with the eyes of the astonished sacrificers In the middle of these fires Henri shining of glory Appears to their eyes on a chariot of victory. I have nothing to say about the other designs. I am in all your feeling. Do not doubt, Sir, that I do not consider your care as one of the most flattering rewards of my former and almost forgotten works. I had never believed that I could go to posterity; but you teach me not to despair of it. I have been told, Sir, that you are the brother-in-law of Monsieur d'Anville; he had been kind enough to promise to warn me of some mistakes in an essay on general history. I beg you to remind him of this; I am very eager to add this obligation to the esteem I have had for him for so long. The autograph manuscript signed by Gravelot attached to this letter is the explanatory note of the subjects that Gravelot proposes to Voltaire for the illustrations of La Henriade of the beautiful edition of Cramer of 1768. Attached is an engraved portrait of H. Gravelot by Jean Massard after Maurice-Quentin de La Tour.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue