- 138
Neruda, Pablo
Estimate
25,000 - 35,000 GBP
bidding is closed
Description
- Neruda, Pablo
- Fine collection of sixteen autograph and typed letters signed ("Pablo"), about Los versos del capitán and Matilde Urrutia, together with 18 documents, telegrams, photographs and postcards,
- ink on paper
the autograph letters mainly in French, written to the painter Paolo Ricci in Naples (mostly 1952-1953), in red, blue and green ink, about the private publication in Naples of Los versos del capitán and his love-affair with Matilde Urrutia, in which he discusses details about his exile from Chile, his love-nest with Matilde in Uruguay (illustrated with a map), his sojourn in Naples and Capri; Neruda discusses securing the rights to "Capitan" from his publisher Einaudi, provides a list of who should receive the dedicatory copies (including Matilde and their unborn child), makes alterations to the proofs, together with documents and correspondence in Spanish with the lawyer Dario Puccini in 1950, concerning his libel case against the Chilean Embassy and Il Tempo of Rome, with a postcard-photograph of Neruda & Matilde inscribed by Neruda in 1972, and further postcards signed by Neruda and others, a photograph of Ricci and Neruda's second wife Delia del Carril, together with letters by Matilde Urrutia ("Medusa"), Einaudi, Edwin Cerio and Stephen Hermlin; also included with this collection is a typescript of Neruda's sonnet 'Lo que siento al decir mi sentimiento', dedicated to Ambassador Carlos Vassallo (a recipient of Los versos del capitán), which was not published until 1995.
34 items in all, Neruda's letters 29 pages, 4to and 8vo (19 signed items in all), many with autograph envelopes, Rome, Mexico City, Nyon, Geneva, Genoa, Santiago, and 2 on in-flight KLM paper ("a bordo del avión"), "Datitla" (ie Atlántida in Uruguay) and elsewhere, 1950-1972, many on airmail paper, one letter (29 November 1951) rather faded, one letter apparently incomplete
Neruda's retreat at Capri with Matilde Urrutia marks an important period in his life, artistically, politically and emotionally, and later provided the inspiration for the 1994 film Il Postino. The villa, called 'Lo Studio', was lent by Edwin Cerio (included is a post-card with a ground-plan of 'Lo Studio'). Neruda thanks Cerio effusively for use of this retreat, where he and "Medusa" stayed together for the first time ("nous croyons au Paradis après notre vie à Capri"). Later, in his memoirs, Neruda was to write: "for the first time we lived together in the same house. We could never be separate again. I ended up there to write a book of love, passionate and painful, (...) Los versos del capitán". In a later letter, he writes about another love-nest, at the sea-side resort of Atlántida, east of Montevideo. This would be another shelter for his clandestine love for Matilde, to which Neruda gave the name "Datitla". Illustrated with a map, Neruda thanks Ricci for the publication of Los versos del Capitánand invites him to stay with him in Chile, and later reproaches him for not writing or responding to his payments.
...après mon voyage je me suis réuni ici avec ma Medusa qui m'apporté le merveilleux livre. Je n'avais pas vu. Je te remercie mille fois. Il est impressionant, tout est beau et singulier, les vignettes, je suis fou de joie, Medusa aussi...Nous avons volé à l'existence quelque jours ici dans une plage subtropicale. Personne ne sait que je suis ici. Des amis comme vous (Sarah!) il y a dans d'autres continents, c'est incroyable, mais c'est vrais..."
The main recipient of the letters, Paolo Ricci (1908-1986) was an Italian painter and communist living in Naples, who had invited Neruda and his mistress Matilde to stay with him during his exile from Chile (where the Communist Party had been proscribed), whilst the poet's wife Delia del Carril returned home. Once in Naples, Neruda soon received the offer of a villa on Capri from Cerio, where he was able to live secretly with Matilde for the first time, and which also produced the 47 poems of Los versos del capitán. In July 1952, Neruda published in Naples, anonymously, by subscription and with Ricci's assistance, a limited edition of 44 copies of Los versos. The first copy was to go to Matilde, and the second copy was for "Neruda Urrutia" (without a Christian name), presumably their unborn child, of whom no mention was ever made. In his memoirs, Neruda described this as one of his most controversial books ("The poems were written here and there along my exile in Europe...The love for Matilde, the longing for Chile, the civil passions fill the pages of this book to be kept without the author's name for many editions"). The legal letters and documents dating from Neruda's time in Mexico in 1950, written in Spanish, deal with the charge of bigamy levelled at him at the instigation of the Chilean Embassy in Rome. Neruda explains that the embassy had claimed that Neruda had been sued for bigamy, and this had been published in the Roman newspaper Il tempo on 2 March 1950.
34 items in all, Neruda's letters 29 pages, 4to and 8vo (19 signed items in all), many with autograph envelopes, Rome, Mexico City, Nyon, Geneva, Genoa, Santiago, and 2 on in-flight KLM paper ("a bordo del avión"), "Datitla" (ie Atlántida in Uruguay) and elsewhere, 1950-1972, many on airmail paper, one letter (29 November 1951) rather faded, one letter apparently incomplete
Neruda's retreat at Capri with Matilde Urrutia marks an important period in his life, artistically, politically and emotionally, and later provided the inspiration for the 1994 film Il Postino. The villa, called 'Lo Studio', was lent by Edwin Cerio (included is a post-card with a ground-plan of 'Lo Studio'). Neruda thanks Cerio effusively for use of this retreat, where he and "Medusa" stayed together for the first time ("nous croyons au Paradis après notre vie à Capri"). Later, in his memoirs, Neruda was to write: "for the first time we lived together in the same house. We could never be separate again. I ended up there to write a book of love, passionate and painful, (...) Los versos del capitán". In a later letter, he writes about another love-nest, at the sea-side resort of Atlántida, east of Montevideo. This would be another shelter for his clandestine love for Matilde, to which Neruda gave the name "Datitla". Illustrated with a map, Neruda thanks Ricci for the publication of Los versos del Capitánand invites him to stay with him in Chile, and later reproaches him for not writing or responding to his payments.
...après mon voyage je me suis réuni ici avec ma Medusa qui m'apporté le merveilleux livre. Je n'avais pas vu. Je te remercie mille fois. Il est impressionant, tout est beau et singulier, les vignettes, je suis fou de joie, Medusa aussi...Nous avons volé à l'existence quelque jours ici dans une plage subtropicale. Personne ne sait que je suis ici. Des amis comme vous (Sarah!) il y a dans d'autres continents, c'est incroyable, mais c'est vrais..."
The main recipient of the letters, Paolo Ricci (1908-1986) was an Italian painter and communist living in Naples, who had invited Neruda and his mistress Matilde to stay with him during his exile from Chile (where the Communist Party had been proscribed), whilst the poet's wife Delia del Carril returned home. Once in Naples, Neruda soon received the offer of a villa on Capri from Cerio, where he was able to live secretly with Matilde for the first time, and which also produced the 47 poems of Los versos del capitán. In July 1952, Neruda published in Naples, anonymously, by subscription and with Ricci's assistance, a limited edition of 44 copies of Los versos. The first copy was to go to Matilde, and the second copy was for "Neruda Urrutia" (without a Christian name), presumably their unborn child, of whom no mention was ever made. In his memoirs, Neruda described this as one of his most controversial books ("The poems were written here and there along my exile in Europe...The love for Matilde, the longing for Chile, the civil passions fill the pages of this book to be kept without the author's name for many editions"). The legal letters and documents dating from Neruda's time in Mexico in 1950, written in Spanish, deal with the charge of bigamy levelled at him at the instigation of the Chilean Embassy in Rome. Neruda explains that the embassy had claimed that Neruda had been sued for bigamy, and this had been published in the Roman newspaper Il tempo on 2 March 1950.
Condition
Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."