LÉGER FERNAND (1881-1955).

Lot 130
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Estimation :
1500 - 2000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 10 400EUR
LÉGER FERNAND (1881-1955).
L.A.S. "Your big Fernand" with DRAWING, Argonne. Maison Forestière January 24, 1915, to Jeanne LOHY; 3 pages and a half in-8 in pencil (small marginal crack). Letter from the front in Argonne, with drawing of his shelter, to his wartime godmother and future wife. [Jeanne LOHY (1895-1950), met before the war in artistic circles, was the wartime godmother of Fernand Léger, who officially married her in 1919]. "My dear Janot. In my note yesterday I told you that I was going up to the mines. I am there. I put this note from my burrow. It is a shelter dug into the hillside. I chop wood to keep warm and I fetch water 200 metres away. It is a perfectly primitive life with only q.q. modern tools. The forest is full of snow and despite the cannon it is impressive by its great silence. It is very beautiful, the Argonne under the snow. Where I am I am well sheltered. The marmittes go over my head. I manage to sleep quite well, despite the drops of water that ooze and drip on our faces. [I have a lot of work to do to set up my "villa". Drawing of the entrance of his shelter: "Here is a sketch of my villa. [...] I absolutely must fix the chimney, it doesn't work well and I'm smoky. I'll write to you when I've had a chance to clean up, because this is a very luxurious place and these are important things. I am relieved after a while, and go down to the billet to rest. When, I don't know, but I think in a few days. Thank you for Guillaume's [APOLLINAIRE] address. I will put in a note to him. It is probable that he will not stay long in Nîmes. He will leave like Canudo [Ricciotto CANUDO, who joined the Foreign Legion at the beginning of the war]. I don't see him leading that life very well. But I would never have believed that from him. What is Max [JACOB] waiting for to come and sing about life in the Argonne! My poor Janot, I'm sorry I can't write to you any longer today, I have too much to do, I have to get my fireplace working. I don't want to be asphyxiated tonight"...
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