Alexandre Dumas is at the beck and call of his friend Victor Hugo. 1836.

Alexandre Dumas (1802.1870)

Autographed letter signed to Victor Hugo

One page in quarto on a bifolium. Autograph address.

Paris, May 20, 1836.

"At your service."

The friendship of two giants: a formidable letter, from the era of romantic theatre, by Alexandre Dumas, at the behest of Victor Hugo, for an invitation to Place Royale (now Place des Vosges).

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My dear Victor, Tomorrow, Sunday, we have a day off and an appointment at Mademoiselle^Mars 's in Neuilly, so it's impossible for me to accept your kind invitation. Any other day of the week you prefer – at your service. With warmest regards, A. Dumas

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After the premiere of his Don Juan de Marana on April 30, 1836, Alexandre Dumas enjoyed undeniable popular success at the Théâtre de la Porte-Saint-Martin. His main objective was to return to the Comédie-Française (Théâtre Français). Working on his Caligula , he wanted to hone his verse skills to prove to his detractors that he had mastered the classical form and the alexandrine. Clearly, the immense renown of Anne-Françoise-Hippolyte Boutet, known as Mademoiselle Mars, was very useful to him, and the meeting at the actress's luxurious villa in Neuilly became a compelling reason to refuse his friend Hugo's invitation.

In that same year, 1836, Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo maintained close ties within the framework of their theatrical projects and worked together to obtain from the Duke of Orléans the privilege of creating a theater dedicated to the Romantic repertoire (which would eventually lead to the Théâtre de la Renaissance). In November 1836, Dumas even wrote to Hugo to inform him of his efforts with Mr. Guizot regarding this theater project, stating, " Therefore, we must do nothing without each other, but everything through each other and with each other. "