Russian writer (1818-1883). Autograph Letter Signed ("Iv. Tourguéneff"), Bougival. Les Frenes. 2 pp recto and verso, 8vo (conjoined blank), in French.
$ 29,901 / 28.000 €
(61537)
In French to Madame [Caroline] Comanville. Turgenev writes to Flaubert’s niece: „I am entirely at your disposal for anything that concerns Flaubert" [in translation] and on philosophy in Russia. - Turgenev and Flaubert first became friends in the 1860s when both had already attained fame as novelists. Flaubert died in May of 1880 and his niece Caroline was in charge of his affairs. In this capacity, she had asked Turgenev to serve on a committee for erecting a monument to Flaubert. Turgenev's main purport in this letter is to express his willingness to serve.
He continued by commenting somewhat pessimistically about intellectual life in Russia, in translation: "I am surprised by your question about philosophy in Russia. I must say that I am terribly little concerned with it. Quite recently two young writers wrote books on the subject, it has been some time since anything similar had been written. And so, one of those writers has become mad—and the other is on the point of becoming so. The religious questions which disturb Russia, these have nothing in common with philosophy or with literature." Published in "Lettres d'Ivan Tourgueneff a Mme Viardot, a Flaubert et a Mme Commanville" in Cosmopolis vol 4, p 163, 1896. See also Flaubert and Turgenev, a Friendship in Letters, 1985..
Russian novelist (1818-1883). Kabinettphotographie im Oval von Nadar ohne eigenh. Unterschrift. Paris. 109 : 164 mm.
$ 694 / 650 €
(81768)
Hübsche Kabinettphotographie des russischen Schriftstellers im Oval. Die Aufnahme von Nadar, Paris gemacht elegant auf den Untersatz gewalzt.
Russian writer (1818-1883). Autograph letter signed to Princess Troubetskoy. Baden. 28.03.1865. 8vo. 4 pp.
$ 37,377 / 35.000 €
(62381/BN45642)
In French. Turgenev had read the first part of Tolstoy's new novel 1805 ['War and Peace'], which appeared in instalments between 1863 and 1869. He found it boring and cold, and complains of the lack of historical sense and of its lack of poetry: "Que c'est ennuyeux et froid, quelle recherche de la petite bete, quel manque absolu de sens historique, d'imagination et meme de poesie (chose etrange chez lui). C'est un peintre de miniatures qui a voulu faire un grand tableau d'histoire - et il s'est casse le nez […]".
He adds that Merimee views Tolstoy's 'The Cossacks' in a similar light; Turgenev himself considered The Cossacks to be the best story written in the Russian language. He describes life in Baden and the musical matinees given each Sunday by the Viardots. He has purchased land in Baden and will build a house there (near his beloved Pauline Garcia Viardot). - This important letter is apparently unpublished. In spite of his criticism of Tolstoy in this letter, Turgenev altered his opinion of 'War and Peace' after he read the work in its final revised version in 1866, and he later promoted it extensively in France and Germany..
Russian writer (1818-1883). Portrait photograph signed. No place. 246:178 mm. Mounted on cardboard.
$ 20,824 / 19.500 €
(62639/BN45820)
Fine head and shoulders portrait. - Mild toning and scratching.
Russian writer (1818-1883). Autograph letter signed ("Ivan Turgenev"). Paris. 8vo. 1 p. With integral blank; couple short closed separations at folds, faint band of toning along upper edge.
$ 2,990 / 2.800 €
(93448)
To Horace Günzburg, in French, a letter of introduction for French violinist Paul Viardot. "Permit me to recommend to your kindness . . . Paul Viardot, a violinist of great talent and great future, who goes to Russia in order to become known to the public. . . ."