GAUTIER (Théophile). Letter to the President. (Journey to It - Lot 90

GAUTIER (Théophile). Letter to the President. (Journey to Italy), 1850. P., s. d. (1890). In-12, Bradel half-garnet chagr., trimmed boards, cons. cover (Contemporary cart.). First edition printed anonymously, in a very small number of copies on Japon Impérial. Illustrated with an erotic frontispiece by Félicien Rops on chine and printed in three tones (Exsteens, 743). La Présidente, the honorary nickname given to Apollonie Sabatier, pseudonym of Aglaé Savatier, was one of the most bewitching Salon mistresses of the 19th century. She inspired an ethereal love for Baudelaire, who composed his most mystical Fleurs du Mal poems for her. Other artists who frequented the rue Frochot apartment during her famous Sunday dinners had more licentious feelings for this astonishingly witty and beautiful woman. The sculptor Clésinger portrayed her as a lascivious "woman stung by a snake"; Flaubert wrote her sensual letters concluding with "the very sincere affection of one who, alas, only kisses your hands", while she was long considered to have been the model for Gustave Courbet's L'Origine du monde. "In October 1850, Gautier sent her from Rome [this] very long letter, buffoonish and obscene, commenting with Rabelaisian truculence on what he and his friend Cormenin had learned about sexuality during the journey they were making at the time. Gautier knew that his freedom of expression would not offend Madame Sabatier. He'd long since accustomed her to it, and prided himself on brightening up the friendly gatherings on rue Frochot with his 'saloperies'." (Dictionary of Erotic Works). Galitzin, 198; Dutel, I, 456, p. 192.