- 86
Puccini, Giacomo
Estimate
2,000 - 2,500 GBP
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Description
- Puccini, Giacomo
- Autograph autobiographical letter signed ("GPuccini"), to his friend Alfredo Caselli in Lucca, undated
- ink on paper
a humorous letter written in a disconnected manner, quoting the words of Iago's "Credo" in Verdi's Otello, with phrases in dog Latin and French, singing the praises of a girl named Maria, describing the difficulties of earning a living at present, comparing their situation when younger with the present when both have put on weight, reporting his latest "outrage" at il Tosco (Montepulciano), where he hopes to hold court to many visitors, describing the sad and lonely Christmas he passed, mentioning the friends Fante, Macea, Pipo and Vandini, concluding that he believes in a cruel god that cast him in the role of a huntsman, despising the fate that denies him access shooting birds ("...io credo in un dio crudel che m'ha creato simile ad un cacciatore[,] ma disprezzo il destino che mi tiene lontano dai fistioni e mestoloni...")
4 pages, 8vo, autograph envelope, stamped & postmarked (possibly "28 December 1888"), printed stationery ("Via Solferino 27, Milano"), De La Rue & Co. paper, Milan, no date [1888-1899]
4 pages, 8vo, autograph envelope, stamped & postmarked (possibly "28 December 1888"), printed stationery ("Via Solferino 27, Milano"), De La Rue & Co. paper, Milan, no date [1888-1899]
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."
Catalogue Note
APPARENTLY UNPUBLISHED. Puccini's last sentence parodies Iago's famous soliloquy in Otello, premiered in Milan in 1887: "Credo in un Dio crudel che m'ha creato simile a sè e che nell'ira io nomo". He had a life-long interest in hunting, particularly shooting wild duck: "mestoloni" are wild duck, and "fistioni" turkeys. Alfredo Caselli (1858-1921) was a friend of Puccini from his early days in Lucca, where he ran a café which became a meeting-place for literary and musical intellectuals, including Puccini and the poet Giovanni Pascoli.