Pauline Viardot (1821-1910), French singer and composer, sister of La Malibran. [Son] Agenda ou Tablettes journalières [pour l’année] 1901. In-18. Full cream contemporary morocco, gilt metal cipher inlaid on upper cover, white tabis counter-plates and endpapers with gusset on upper counter-plate, gilt clasp, all edges gilt, ivory silk pencil case, [pencil missing]. In a plum cloth-covered cardboard box.
A moving personal agenda in which the artist recorded her various dates in pencil or ink.( Davidoff, Mathilde Féria, Yéméniz, Watterville, d’Arcy, Georges Amirian, etc.), her visits, concerts (matinée Diémer, modern concert at Salle des Agriculteurs, Salle Erard, Astarté at the Opéra, etc.), dinners and other notable events in her private life (colds, massages, doctors, a photographer, dinner at her son Paul’s home at 36 rue Jouffroy, or meetings with her daughter Marianne). We can read : Saturday, January 19, among her guests, « Cte de Ségur, Mal de Courcel, […] 2 Sand, Mme Girardet, Bérard […] »,
Thursday, July 18 : « jour anniversaire de ma naissance 80 ans » [my 80th birthday],
Saturday, November 2 : « Mort de Lina Sand » [death of Lina Sand], the daughter-in-law of her great friend George Sand,
Saturday, November 23: « Visite Reynaldo Hahn », and the next day, « répétition chez Mr Lambert des pièces de Saint-Saëns à 4 h. » [rehearsal of Saint-Saëns pieces at Mr Lambert’s at 4 h.]
A handwritten note at the head of the agenda specifies its provenance:
« This is the Engagement book of Madame Pauline Viardot-Garcia.
The geat singer sister of la Malibran.
The book was given me as an heirloom in memory of her friendships with my grantmother Madame de Mauritz, with my aunt mother, myself, she was my singing mistress.
Marguerite Tew.
Given to Martin Cooper, 26. 4. 65 [author and music critic for the Daily Telegraph from 1954 to 1976]
Given to April Fitzlyon August 1965 [English translator, biographer and historian, author of a biography of Pauline Viardot, Le Prix du génie, published in 1964]
Given to André Le Cesne 11th March 1976 [president of Cahiers Ivan Tourgueniev, devoted in part to Pauline Viardot; in his 1st issue he published the article Un roman inédit d’Ivan Tourgueniev ? by April Fitzlyon). »
Few brown circles (20 avril-27 juin, 25 juillet-16 septembre) ; spotting to binding.
N. B. The agenda is sold without the signed photo.
A valuable relic.
3 800 €