Collections Database Manuscript & Object Collect... Small collections of manusc... Post-1650 Manuscripts Collection of letters and o... Finding AidTitle: Collection of letters and other material by and about Robert de Montesquiou, comte de Montesquiou-Fezensac, 1892-1940
Predominant Dates:1892-1919
ID: 01/02/02/POST-1650 MS 0653
Primary Creator: Montesquiou-Fezensac, Robert, comte de (1855-1921)
Extent: 0.2 Cubic Feet
Arrangement:
The collection is arranged in three series:
1. Provenance Information, 1940
-Contains information concerning the purchase of the Montesquiou collection by John Meyer of Chicago
2. Material concerning Robert de Montesquiou, ca. 1939
-Contains typescripts of information about Robert de Montesquiou and an amateur photograph of the Comte
3. Letters written or received by Robert de Montesquiou, ca. 1892-1919
-Contains correspondence, chiefly letters written by Robert de Montesquiou to various correspondents. Many letters are to unknown recipients and/or undated. Letters are organized alphabetically by correspondent (if known), with unknown correspondents filed at the end of the series.
Languages: French
This collection consists of a selection of letters and messages (sometimes including envelopes) written or received by Robert de Montesquiou, comte de Montesquiou-Fezensac (1855-1921). Primary correspondents include Charles Meunier, Emile Berr, and Pierre Dauze. It also includes typescripts concerning Montesquiou's life and family, an amateur photograph of the Comte, and information concerning the letters' acquisition in 1940 by John Meyer of Chicago.
Some letters include identifying wrappers from a previous auction.
Link to catalog record: https://i-share-uiu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CARLI_UIU/gpjosq/alma99736815012205899
Robert de Montesquiou, born March 7, 1855, to Thierry, Comte de Montesquiou-Fezensac, and his wife Pauline (nee Duroux), descended from one of the oldest aristocratic families in France, and proudly counted among his distant ancestors Charles de Batz-Castelmore d'Artagnan, whose life was dramatized by Alexandre Dumas in Les Trois Mousquetaires. Montesquiou was raised against the backdrop of the busy life of the most fashionable Parisian salons, and with tout Paris--the French high society that inhabited the Faubourg Saint Germain--as his playmates. Society life inculcated a keen aesthetic sense in the count, and he grew to prize luxury, exoticism, refinement, and good taste. Throughout France's "Belle Epoque" Montesquiou gained a reputation as a dandy, literary snob, tastemaker, and critic, and was known to style himself "Professor of Beauty" and "Prince of Decadence." His circle at times included such artistic, literary, and celebrity figures as Maurice Barres, Sarah Bernhardt, Gabriele D'Annunzio, Alphonse Daudet, Gabriel Faure, Edmond de Goncourt, Stephane Mallarme, and Edouard Manet, as well as--most notably--Marcel Proust.
Everything about Montesquiou's life and appearance, from his attire, accessories, and furnishings to his gestures and his choice of paper and pen when writing, was carefully crafted and specifically selected in order to present the appearance of an effortless dandyism. In addition to surrounding himself with writers, Montesquiou was himself a poet, and published several volumes of his own work, including Les Chauves-souris, clairs-obscurs, Le Chef des odeurs suaves, and Les Hortensias bleus. His poetry was not particularly well received by critics, but is notable for its intricate aesthetic presentation: Les Chauves-souris was sent to his close friends in a small box wrapped in silk, and with a dust jacket designed by Whistler featuring a cloud of bats. Montesquiou even produced his own stationary with his by then signature "bat" emblem.
Besides his own literary output, Montesquiou is notable in literary history for the access that he provided to French society circles for writers such as Proust, and for the enduring (and often satirical) portraits and caricatures of him that emerged in the writings of more notable authors. Just as Montesquiou's ancestor served as an inspiration for Dumas, the Count himself was the model for des Esseintes in Joris-Karl Huysmans' A Rebors (published 1884) and for the Baron de Charlus in Proust's A la recherche du temps perdu (published 1913-1927). Proust--who also based the character of the Duchesse de Guermantes on Montesquiou's cousin, Elisabeth, Countess Greffulhe--probably offended Montesquiou with his interpretation, and a rift grew between the two men. Montesquiou died of kidney failure on December 11, 1921, less than one year before Proust's death. His memoirs, Les Pas effaces, were published posthumously.
Repository: Rare Book & Manuscript Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Access Restrictions: Open to researchers.
Use Restrictions:
The RBML reproductions policies can be found here:
https://www.library.illinois.edu/rbx/collections/reproduction-services/
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted materials.
Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study scholarship or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgement, fulfillment of the order would damage materials or involve violation of copyright law.
Typed letter, with original envelope, detailing John Meyer's purchase of material concerning Robert de Montesquiou, including an original 1884 Boldini engraving of the Montesquiou, an original amateur photograph of him, and an autograph letter from [Henri?] Lavedan.
Signed by Lucien Goldschmidt on behalf of Pierre Beres.
Includes itemized receipt.
Dated on letter: "September 6, 1940"
Postmark: September 7, 1940
Typed draft concerning the geneology of the House of Montesquiou-Fezensac
Contains only the first several paragraphs of the book Genealogie de la maison de Montesquiou-Fezensac, suivie de ses preuves by Bernard Cherin, originally published in 1784 in Paris by Valade.
ALS (signed with initials)
addressed "Chere Dame et Amie" (wrapper describes recipient as "Madame la colonelle R. A. J. Talbot")
written on Montesquiou's bat stationary
written from "Les Bouleaux, par Chapelle Gauthier, Seine-et-Marne"
ALS
addressed "Cher confrere et Ami"
written on stationary from the Westminster Hotel, New York
pinned clipping from the New York Herald discussing Montesquiou's ongoing visit to New York and New Jersey
Submit request (Aeon)
