PORTIER (Paul) - Lot 224

Lot 224
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PORTIER (Paul) - Lot 224
PORTIER (Paul) Bar-sur-Seine, 1866 - Paris, 1962. French marine biologist and zoologist, collaborator with Charles Richet in the study of anaphylaxis. Autograph letter signed "P. Portier", addressed to "Chère Madame". Paris, November 15, 1951. 1 ½ page in-8, on letterhead of the Institut océanographique, 195 rue Saint-Jacques. A moving letter, both grateful and meditative in tone, in which Portier evokes the many tokens of friendship he receives, which he deems "almost exaggerated", while confiding that his correspondent's touches him particularly because of shared memories. The scholar then reflects poignantly on longevity, which he considers both a "great strength" and a "great weakness", implicitly lamenting the premature deaths of his contemporaries. He refers in particular to Maurice Emmanuel, whom he describes as a "superior man", revealing a deep admiration mixed with a sense of injustice in the face of fate. The letter concludes on a more personal note, with Portier mentioning his collaborator Franck Emmanuel and his intention to visit Mademoiselle Emmanuel, revealing his close ties with the family. A brief but dense document, imbued with sensitivity and reflection on time, memory and affections, characteristic of the scholar's late writings.
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