Lot n° 185
Estimation :
5000 - 7000
EUR
Result with fees
Result
: 5 200EUR
SAND George (1804-1876).
MANUSCRIT in part autograph, Le Pied Sanglant, 1860; 133 leaves in-4 (27 x 21 cm) in 3 bound books.
Unpublished manuscript of this play about the Chouannerie, written for the theater in Nohant, from which Sand will draw her novel Cadio.
Sand began working on her play on October 9, 1860 ("I begin my
Chouans") after a reading of Balzac's Chouans, and finished it on the 18th. She reads it to her actors on the 20th, rehearsals take place the following days during which Sand makes the costumes; she makes alterations on the 25th and 26th, notably in the 3rd act. But Sand fell ill with typhoid on the 28th, and the performances were cancelled. Sand resumed her play on October 11, 1861 ("corrections and changes to the 3rd act of Le Pied sanglant"); on the 13th she noted: "I am completing the 3rd new act of Le Pied sanglant, although it is not certain to be performed. The play was put into rehearsal on October 14, 1862, after a final touch-up. The Bloody Foot was performed on October 26 (and 29): "At last it was performed and without any problems! All the actors did their best. Cadol was charming, Manceau, Marie Caillaud, Maurice and Auguste perfect, Marie Lambert very interesting and skilful, very pretty, Clerh sufficient for his small role, but the 4 most complete and original figures are the above. Manceau did the most difficult and original, the other three were in complete truth and Marie made us all cry at the end of the 2nd act. It was of a strong and sober feeling, and poignant because it was not to agreed effect. The fight, the barricade, the uproar were conducted admirably. Manceau held the whole stage with his usual breadth of movement. Great emotions in the public and frenetic success"... In 1866, Sand will take back the data of the play to write her novel Cadio on the chouannerie in Brittany, published in 1868, and at once adapted in drama with Paul Meurice, created on October 3, 1868 at the Porte Saint-Martin.
The 2nd page of the first booklet indicates: "Episode of the Chouannerie in 3 acts. 1860. Nohant".
Follows the list of characters: "The marquis
Bénédict de Rollo known as Pied-Sanglant chief of Chouans, 35 to 40 years. The knight
Henri de Sauvières called Captain Martin, commander of a part of the half-brigade of the grenadiers of Herault, 30 to 35 years old. Alice de Sauvières, cousin of the captain, mistress of Pied-sanglant, disguised under the name of Petit-Jean". The innkeeper Laury and his daughter Anna; the trumpeter Motus, serving his captain. Three chouans, including Pille-Vache and Sans-oreilles. The action is set in Lamballe (Côtes du Nord) in 1794.
The manuscript, in blue ink, is largely copied by Alexandre Manceau, Sand's companion and secretary, who herself corrected the text extensively, and developed it considerably by inserting about twenty autograph pages.
Act I. 55 ff., including 11 autograph pages. Sand has redone the beginning of the play, adding a scene (0) between Laury and Anna, a scene (00) with Laury alone, a scene (000) between Motus and Laury, a scene (0000) with Motus alone, and the beginning of scene 1 with Motus, Alice "en petit paysan" and Pillevache. She then makes some corrections and additions.
Act II. 41 ff., of which 4 pages are autographed. She adds at the beginning a scene (0) for Motus alone, and this note: "Aperçu d'un monologue, choisir et arranger"; she adds 2 pages to scene 12, and corrects strongly scene 11 and the last scenes 13 and 14.
Acte III. 36 ff., of which 3 pages are autograph, and numerous corrections and additions on collettes She adds a page to scene 2 between Anna and the marquis, and two scenes 15 (Martin, Motus, Anna) and 16 (the same plus Laury).
The manuscript was used for the stage management, with marginal indications in pencil by Manceau for props and staging. Some reworkings in act III were made by Manceau according to GS's indications; one page of act III, scene 11, bears in pencil marginal indications for staging by Sand and Manceau, as Martin and Motus leave and the Chouans are heard shouting in the wings; Sand notes: "We will try the effect of this scene spoken outside. If it is cold, Anna will be brought in during the scene, and she will say a word that will show her attention to what they are doing.
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