[GAUTIER (Judith)]. - Lot 2

[GAUTIER (Judith)]. Born in Paris. 1845-1917. Woman of letters. Daughter of Théophile Gautier. First woman to enter the Académie Goncourt in 1910]. RARE ENSEMBLE DE LETTRES (OU CARTES) A.S. DE: Ernest HÉBERT (4), Jean-Baptiste BENJAMIN-CONSTANT (2), Édouard PAILLERON (1), Lucien PRESVOT-PARADOL (1), et Claudius POPELIN (1), ALL ADDRESSED TO JUDITH GAUTIER. Judith GAUTIER, Théophile Gautier's eldest daughter and Madame Catulle MENDÈS by marriage, was one of the most fascinating women of her time. Her entry into literature came with the publication of an article on Baudelaire's translation of Edgar Alan Poe's Eureka, which won her the poet's enthusiasm. She also spoke Chinese, thanks to lessons from Tin-Tun-Ling, a Chinese political refugee taken in by Théophile Gautier, and published a collection of poems, Le Livre de Jade, a translation of ancient Chinese poems, at the age of twenty-two. A great admirer of Richard Wagner, she was also a close friend of Victor Hugo, to whom she inspired several poems. Her memoirs appeared in La Revue de Paris under the title Le Collier des jours, between 1904 and 1909. Letters relating (for the most part) to the publication in La Revue de Paris of Judith Gautier's souvenirs under the title: "Le Collier des jours" ("The Necklace of Days").HÉBERT. 1817-1908. Painter. 3 L.A.S. and 1 C.A.S. "Hebert" to "Chère Judith". Paris, 1904. 4 pp. in-8 and 7 pp. in-12. no date: ...Last night I read your sixth article on the second row of the Collier, and I don't want to wait until this evening to tell you what a pleasure it gives me. It's impossible to tell a better story, and to tell more interesting things, especially for those who, like me, have retained a cult-like devotion to the memory of the great Theo. If you only knew how much we thank you for bringing us back to life in this unparalleled environment, which has disappeared forever without hope of ever seeing anything like it again! Try, dear Judith, to make this evocation of distant days last a long time... - November 29 [1903] - The painter testifies to the positive reception of : ...all the chapters I read with such interest in the Revue de Paris, to tell you all the pleasure I owe to these memories, so well recounted by you, it would take the eloquent pen of your father, it alone could express the shivers of joy and regret I experienced in reading you! (...) I'm going to send you a beautiful photograph of the Stone Bench made in the past by Bingham, which will remind you of the picture so admirably poeticized by the great poet in immortal verses...- January 1st [1904] - The painter belatedly sends his correspondent: ...the photograph of the Stone Bench, which I had promised you (...). I hope, dear Judith, that you will have had some joy at the sight of this painting, which you described so well and which will remind you of happy and distant days...- January 3 [1904] - Hébert invites her to come ...towards nightfall (...) for a friendly cup of tea with us. I shall be very happy to see you again, and to offer my compliments for the 2nd rank of the Collier...BENJAMIN-CONSTANT. 1845-1902. Painter. 2 L.A.S. "Benjamin-Constant" and "Benj-Constant". S.l.n.d. and Neuilly, n.d. Total 7 p. in-12. Mourning paper: The painter is currently working in his studio in Neuilly where, ...very soon, I will ask you to pose for your portrait (...). I have remained a fanatic of the god Théo... of this brave and great artist who sounded so loudly and so generously the fanfare of 1830! And having admired the father, it was easy for me to admire the daughter, the worthy daughter of the father...PAILLERON. 1834-1899. Playwright. L.A.S. "Edouard Pailleron". S.l.n.d. [Thursday, April 28]. 1 p. in-12 : ...Merci Madame, de l'honneur que vous m'avez fait en m'envoyant cette œuvre étrange et charmante, merci du plaisir que jai eu en la lisant...PRÉVOST-PARADOL Lucien-Anatole. 1829-1870. Journalist. L.A.S. "P. Paradol". S.l.n.d. 1 p. in-8: ...Vous n'êtes nullement oubliée mais la difficulté de trouver un moment ma jusqu'ici privé vous [sic pour du] plaisir daller voir...POPELIN. 1825-1892. Painter and poet. L.A.S. "Claudius Popelin". S.l., May 22, 1869. 1 p. in-8 on mourning paper: ...Jai reçu, ma Chère Judith, votre Dragon-Impérial (...). Before long, I'll bring you a little Yo-Men-Li of my own, which won't be worth much more than yours, otherwise I'd have the right to call myself your admirer... He concludes ...I kiss your beautiful hands and I'd like to live at your feet... Judith Gautier published her novel Le Dragon Impérial in 1869, under the name Judith Mendès. Yo-Men-Li, the female character in this novel, accompanies the hero Ta-Kiang.