ROSTAND (Jean). - Lot 277

ROSTAND (Jean). Born in Paris, 1894—died in Ville-d'Avray, 1977. French biologist, moralist, and writer, son of the playwright Edmond Rostand. A specialist in amphibian biology, he conducted important research on parthenogenesis and gynogenesis, making a decisive contribution to the popularization of science in the 20th century. Autograph letter signed “Jean Rostand,” addressed to “Dear Friend.” Ville-d’Avray, February 14, 1930. 1/2 page in-4. A beautiful congratulatory letter in which Rostand celebrates the awarding of an honor (“this cross”), which he considers to honor not only the publisher but also “the moralist and the writer.” An elegant testament to Rostand’s dual nature—both a man of science and a man of letters—expressed in a manner characteristic of his nuanced and thoughtful style.