My Dear Victor..." Letter From Alexandre Dumas To Victor Hugo - 1836 - Autograph Letter Signed

Autograph letter signed from Alexandre DUMAS (1802-1870) to Victor HUGO (1802-1885)

Testimony to the friendship between the two literary giants.

Paris, May 20, 1836 - One page in-4 on a double sheet with autograph address. Trace of postmark.

Splendid calligraphy by Alexandre Dumas of Victor Hugo's name in the address.

Large size: 23 x 31 cm unfolded leaves (single page: 23 x 16 cm)

In mais 1836, Dumas achieved undeniable popular success at the Porte-Saint-Martin theater with Marana's Don Juan, which premiered on April 30, his great goal then being to return to the Comédie-Française (Théâtre Français). Working on Caligula, he wanted to write in verse to prove to his detractors that he had mastered the great classical form (and alexandrine verse), and he needed Mademoiselle Mars (1779-1847) and her immense reputation to carry the play. The rendezvous at the actress's luxurious villa in Neuilly was part of Dumas's courtship of the actress for his future projects. Dumas was keen to impress, and to follow in the footsteps of Victor Hugo, then master of Romantic verse. The play was finally premiered on December 26, 1837 at the Théâtre-Français. Dumas had spent a fortune on sets and costumes to recreate imperial Rome. Despite the presence of Mademoiselle Mars, the play was coldly received and ran for only twenty performances. It was a commercial and critical failure for Dumas, but the dawn of greater fame and success to come with the advent of his future serial novels.

That same year, 1836, Alexandre Dumas and Victor Hugo, both 34 years old, maintained close relations as part of their theatrical projects, and worked together to obtain, from the Duc d'Orléans, the privilege of creating a theater dedicated to the Romantic repertoire (which would result in the Théâtre de la Renaissance). In November 1836, Dumas even wrote to Hugo to inform him of his approaches to M. Guizot concerning this theater project, "Il faut donc rien faire l'un sans l'autre, mais tout l'un par l'autre et l'un avec l'autre."

The autograph letters between the two men are particularly sought-after.

"Mon cher Victor,

Demain dimanche nous avons relâche et rendez-vous chez M^lleMars à Neuilly, impossible donc d'accepter votre bonne invitation.

Tel quel autre jour de la semaine qu'il vous plaira - à vos ordres.

Mille amitiés

A. Dumas

[On the left-hand sheet, in Alexandre Dumas's hand]

Monsieur Victor Hugo

6 Place Royale"