« I will introduce you to many strange, refined, unique things, which you cannot imagine with all your mind and which I have not yet spoken to you about, because for this requires royal minds that understand and comprehend each other in everything, for everything and despite everything. »
5.000€
Guillaume Apollinaire (1980.1918)
Autographed letter signed to Louise de Coligny-Châtillon, known as Lou.
Two quarto pages on cream paper.
Fragility at the central fold and tiny losses around the perimeter.
April 24, 1913 [for 1915]
« I will introduce you to many strange, refined, unique things, which you cannot imagine with all your mind and which I have not yet spoken to you about, because for this requires royal minds that understand and comprehend each other in everything, for everything and despite everything. »
Apollinaire's tender, erotically charged letter seeks to introduce his "dearest" Lou, who stays with him occasionally, to the pleasures of the flesh. Lou discovers the poet's scandalous library.
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“ You can imagine, my dearest, how amused I was by the story of Lou throwing a party for her friends in Guillaume Apollinaire’s dovecote or perch. Besides, you haven’t seen that perch in all its splendor, with its precious African and Chinese statues, its beautiful paintings. As you can see, it doesn’t give you an idea of what it’s really like in peacetime. So, my little Lou, it’s De figuris that you’ve stumbled upon; it’s a classic manual of erotology . It deals with all forms of kissing, but as far as I can remember, it says little about your dear vice. Forberg’s notes are quite well done, though, and indicate a profound knowledge of antiquity. But when I see you again, I’ll introduce you to that antiquity much better, if it interests you, and to other, even deeper forms of kissing, and to spintries [coupling with multiple partners] that are better arranged.” Please, Lou, don't show my letters, under any circumstances, if you want me to write to you as I do, without embarrassment, and as to someone whose soul I consider very, very close to my own. The * De figuris *, which are merely notes, hors d'oeuvres, as that chaste Forberg said in Greek, have the fault of being a compilation; it's pedantic, like all compilations. You'll find several of the works from which Forberg gives extracts at my place: for example, *Félicia ou mes Fredaines* in four or five editions, one of which, bound in half lemon morocco, is the best—the 1793 edition—and others, including the edition of * Félicia* that I donated again last year. In any case, darling, don't let me steal my books. There are some very nice people who have no qualms about stealing books or borrowing them and never returning them. So don't lend it to anyone . It's too hard to find interesting books these days. I'm so glad you're enjoying being at my place. If I see you here again, I'll introduce you to many strange, refined, unique things, things you can't even imagine with all your mind, things I haven't yet discussed with you, because that requires minds of royalty, minds that understand each other completely, about everything, and despite everything. And you'll learn many riddles, your mind will expand, your intelligence will flourish as much as it deserves, my dearest. But you have to be worthy of that… you have to remain worthy of us… you and I. I've always done what I could to be worthy of myself in my own eyes ; after that, I have every right to be myself in my own eyes. Toutou [ Gustave Toutaint] is asking for my address. I wrote him a postcard almost a week ago. Tomorrow I'll write you a long letter; the postman is coming, I have to finish up. I kiss you a thousand times, a thousand times, Lou! Gui .
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Guillaume Apollinaire met Louise de Coligny-Châtillon (1881-1963) in September 1914 during his stay in Nice, where he was awaiting his military conscription. He fell in love with her immediately. On December 6, 1914, he left to join the 38th Field Artillery Regiment, stationed in Nîmes. Lou joined Apollinaire in Nîmes in mid-December 1914, and the two spent more than a week at the Hôtel du Midi, exploring together a sensuality that would long fuel the dreams of the poet confronted with the horrors of war.
A connoisseur of erotic literature, Apollinaire here evokes his copy of a famous but extremely rare Renaissance treatise, L'Hermaphroditus by Antonio Beccadelli known as "The Palermitan", published for the first time in 1824 by the German philosopher and philologist Friedrich Karl Forberg and translated into French by Alcide Bonneau in 1882 under the title De Figuris Veneris [On the Forms of the Kiss], as well as the work of the knight Andrea de Nerciat, author of the libertine tale, Félicia ou Mes fredaines .