Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev (1818-1883)
Two inscribed visiting cards. 1869 and n.d.
Two autograph notes on visiting cards, the first n.p. [Baden-Baden], n.d. [?August 1869], the second 50 rue de Douai, [Paris], n.d. [after 1873].

In French, 45 x 93mm and 41 x 83mm, each with Turguenev's printed name, the second with printed address. Provenance: (the first) Sotheby's, 23 May 2007, lot 183 (part).

An invitation to the opera at the Villa Viardot. 'We only returned from Munich yesterday: this evening at 9 o'clock we are giving a little operetta at the theatre of the Villa Viardot, you are invited'. The second card gracefully declines an invitation.

The small private theatre adjoining the Villa Viardot in Baden-Baden was inaugurated on 13 August 1869 with a performance of Pauline Viardot's chamber opera Le dernier sorcier (with a libretto by Turgenev); a performance on 23 August was conducted by Johannes Brahms. The Viardots were obliged to abandon their residence in Baden after the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War the following summer.

This lot has been imported from outside of the UK for sale and placed under the Temporary Admission regime. Import VAT is payable at 5% on the hammer price. VAT at 20% will be added to the buyer’s premium but will not be shown separately on our invoice.
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