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ALS in pencil, signed “S. L. Clemens,” who writes on the reverse of the first page of a handwritten he sent to his friend, the artist Francis Davis Millet, who later died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic. Clemens writes: “Here’s the rest of that letter, Millet. It got into a letter to Frank Bliss, & has been to Hartford & back. With our love to the Millets.” The front, which contains the first page of Clemens’ original letter for Millet, one page, 5 x 8, April 19 [1879], sent by Clemens from the Hotel Normandie in Paris, reads, in full: “I’m abed again. I’ve spent the most of my time on my back since I got to Paris. But I’m going to write a line, anyway, to say how glad we are to hear of the happy life you are leading — it’s the twin of our own. I think you didn’t get the letter I wrote you – for you didn’t answer my question. Send a postal to the General Post Office for it. It was addressed to No.” Included with the Clemens letter(s) is an original sketch believed to be in the hand of Millet, accomplished in ink on an off-white 5.5 x 8.25, numbered “3” at the top and depicting an old woman carrying a basket, with handwriting to top and bottom indicating as this also being part of a longer letter, conceivably to Clemens. It reads: “…dragged his long gown woefully. Today has been market day and I cannot better describe the market than by introducing a bit of a sketch which I ‘raised’ for you. It will give you a good idea of the old women here I think and save me filling up this page with writing. Aint I sharo? You’ll notice the delicate wooden shoe, the intellectual cast of countenance and the neat appearance.” In very good to fine condition, with some light creasing and edge wear, and a faint dampstain affecting nothing.
Millet had painted Clemens’ portrait in 1876 and was promptly ‘adopted’ by the Clemens family. Living in Paris since January 1877, Millet had a studio in Montmartre, an art colony in Paris, that would become a hideout for Clemens and his wife, Olivia, when they felt the pressure of too many visitors. A month before the intended first letter, Clemens attended Millet’s wedding to Elizabeth Greeley Merrill in Montmartre, which was also attended by renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. After the wedding, the newlyweds traveled to London where Millet had a first showing at The Royal Academy.
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