GIDE, André. - Lot 1457

Lot n° 1457
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Estimation :
4000 - 6000 EUR
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Result : 12 350EUR
GIDE, André. - Lot 1457
GIDE, André. Let's discover Henri Michaux. Without place, 1941. Autograph manuscript of 17 ff. in-4 mounted on tabs: green morocco, boards decorated with an abstract decoration composed of wavy ribbons of grey, black, brown and fawn morocco, forming large compartments, one of which is decorated with parallel horizontal gilt fillets, and another decorated with intersecting parallel oblique gilt fillets, Around these decorations as well as on the spine is a sowing of golden dots, smooth spine, edge-to-edge lining and gray box endpapers, gilt edges, green morocco spine and cover bands, case (Semet et Plumelle). At the date of 1941, Henri Michaux took refuge in the South zone, under house arrest as a Belgian citizen. The notoriety of the poet covered a desert. It had a turning point with the resounding Découvrons Henri Michaux. It is only twenty years later that his work found a large echo. Precious autograph manuscript of the conference on Henri Michaux that Gide was supposed to give at Nice on May 21, 1941; he was prevented from doing so by the French Legion of Veterans. The manuscript consists of 17 pages written on the front of lined sheets; there are also some notes on the back. It contains numerous corrections, as well as passages that have been crossed out. In the preface to the original edition published in 1941, the author states: "The conference that follows was made to be listened to, not to be read. [...] And I would not have thought of letting it be printed if it had been possible for me to deliver it on May 21, as announced. However, I did not like the fact that Michaux remained frustrated; hence this publication. It does not pretend to do anything but to throw a little light on a remarkable poet, but discreet and, as it should be, much more in love with perfection than with glory. My only goal is to make him known to those who are worthy of loving him." Working manuscript, intended for the conference: it presents several differences with the printed version. Thus the crossed-out passage appearing on pages 3 and 4; it is a digression, useful for the conference but useless for the printing, concerning the problem of his voice: "One last reason, of a very practical nature, this one; if for a long time, a very long time, I have not given any more conferences (to my great regret, because nothing amused me more - not the conferences of the others, but mine) it is because I cannot count any more on my voice. It is prone to sudden lapses and tires very quickly. If I have chosen this subject for a talk, it is because it involves a lot of reading..." The autograph was offered by André Gide to Henri Michaux himself. The signed autograph letter at the top of the page (2 pages in-8), written on May 30, 1941, only nine days after the cancelled conference, bears witness to this: "My dear Michaux. No doubt some echoes of this memorable evening will have reached you. One hundred and sixty resignations of legionnaires, the next day! Ah! I did not bother! It is unfortunate that one could find so few books in the bookshops of the region. (I'm going to see G. Gallimard this afternoon and discuss it with him.) They will be asked for more if I publish this conference that the Legion prevents me from giving (and of which here is the imperfect text, as well as the few "addenda" that should open the booklet)..." Michaux later presented the manuscript to one of his closest friends, the bookseller-publisher Jacques Fourcade (1904-1966). At the head of the book is the blank sheet on which he wrote this dedication: To Jacques Fourcade // If this manuscript of A. Gide about // me can please you, it is yours. Superb mosaic binding by Semet et Plumelle. Provenance : Henri Michaux - Jacques Fourcade. A copy of the first edition of the text in a modest modern binding of unbleached cloth is attached.
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