Joséphine Bonaparte | autograph letter signed ("Lapagerie Buonaparte"), to her former lover Paul Barras, c.1796

Joséphine Bonaparte

Autograph letter signed ("Lapagerie Buonaparte"), to Paul Barras,

written for an unidentified lady to present to Joséphine's former lover, Paul Barras, reminding him of his promise to find a position for the lady's brother; Joséphine seconds the request, which she considers an obligation to add to the many she owes him ("...je me joins à elle pour vous rappeler votre promesse. C’est une obligation, que j’ajouterai a toute celles que je vous dois.."), assuring him of her unchangeable devotion to him, 1 page, 12mo (c.16 x 10cm), integral address leaf inscribed in another hand ("au Citoyen Baras"), annotations and numberings at top of the page ("3791"), remains of red seal, no date [probably spring or summer 1796]

Joséphine's maiden name was La Pagerie. This letter contains a scarce form of her signature, possibly dating from the first months of her marriage to Napoleon.  The spelling "Buonaparte" found here was discarded by Napoleon himself very shortly after his marriage. Paul Barras, the leading member of the Directoire ruling France from 1795 until 1799, had been Joséphine's lover until she married Napoleon on 9 March 1796, and may have continued the liaison even afterwards.  Joséphine already had two children, Eugène and Hortense, by her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais, who had been guillotined in 1794, but never had any with Napoleon.