Circa 1914–1918.
A striking framed and double-glazed display featuring a signed autograph letter (ALS) by André Gide and a signed 7″ x 9″ portrait photograph by Reiss, Berlin. The overall framed dimensions are 21″ x 24″, with the letter and photo presented in a handsome antique-style wood frame, triple-matted with gilt filets in three windows.
The letter, written from Cuverville, discusses the translation of Walt Whitman’s “Leaves of Grass” and Kipling’s poem “France”, reflecting Gide’s engagement with literature and translation. Addressed to a possible collaborator—likely Léon Bazalgette, a notable French translator of Whitman—this correspondence highlights Gide’s insights into the nuances of translating Whitman’s title into French.
As one of France’s greatest literary figures, André Gide (1869–1951) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947 for his extensive body of work, which ranged from early Symbolist influences to later explorations of anti-colonialism and modernism. This extraordinary letter and photograph provide a rare glimpse into Gide’s intellectual process and literary connections, making it a significant piece for collectors and admirers of literary history.
