ROCHEFORT (Henri, Marquis de Rochefort-Luçay, known as) - Lot 272

ROCHEFORT (Henri, Marquis de Rochefort-Luçay, known as) ROCHEFORT (Henri, Marquis de Rochefort-Luçay, known as Henri Rochefort). Born in Paris, 1831—died in 1913. French journalist, pamphleteer, and politician; a leading figure in the opposition during the Second Empire; founder of *La Lanterne*. Autograph letter signed “H. de Rochefort,” addressed to Jules Janin. No place, no date [circa 1854]. 3 pages, in-8. An interesting letter concerning a collective artistic project centered on the great figures of contemporary literature. Rochefort reminds his correspondent of his promise “to come and pose for your photographic portrait,” while explaining the project’s progress: a young sculptor, François Félix Roubaud, has just been commissioned to create monumental figures of Philosophy and Poetry at the Louvre, and is simultaneously undertaking a series of busts of literary celebrities for the upcoming Salon. To carry out this undertaking, he is seeking the active participation of the writers in question, many of whom have already agreed to take part. The busts, he specifies, will be created “half-life-size,” first cast in plaster and then cast in bronze, with each subject to receive a copy. Aware of the inconvenience this may cause, Rochefort nevertheless emphasizes the importance of a “thorough and comprehensive” gallery and urges his correspondent to set aside a few hours for a sitting, providing the studio’s address and awaiting a reply. A beautiful letter that bears witness to the artistic and literary networks of the mid-19th century, at the intersection of official sculpture and the social circles of Parisian writers, centered around figures such as Jules Janin and the sculptor Roubaud