Description

SEVEN AUTOGRAPH LETTERS SIGNED AND ADDRESSED TO JACQUELINE AND ALAIN TRUTAT. 
Two letters were co-written by the Argentinian artist and wife of Neruda, Delia del Carril. Some of the letters are embellished with drawings or collages by the poet.

Written from Mexico and Italy during the poet's exile, these letters, dated between 1949 and 1951, evoke the close friendship between the two couples, the links with Paul and Dominique Eluard, the receipt of the Peace Prize in 1950 and bibliophilic pleasures.

Extracts :

"Dearest, up there perched you are the gerbants of the native charnel house and I am the pointed narwal. Oh to eat your salad and this wine from the shop at 1 rue P. F. with you two dear gymnasts is a dream, alas, for ever! I, narwal, write to you [drawing of a fish] How I love you, my beloved, head of orinoqué [?], I would climb these enemy stairs a thousand and one times a night to look at you, read, nicolaviser et rire avec toi, Jacqueline, avec toi, grand Alain meaules, vous êtes les plus berberisques de ma vie. [drawing of an eye and tears] I seek without finding it a love centre Europe, with Pilsen, under the oaks of the castle, but I think of you and remember and weep, oh adored hams. We'll eat again in this courtyard on the way to B.
Jacqueline, we love you, we're still the same, but too far away."

[Delia]

"July 5 - 1951
As soon as your delicious letter arrives, European love, all I can think about is you two: What to do? What to do? What moment to find? What time should I find for the poet laureate, relentless bibliophile etc. etc. etc.... to reply to so much kindness. So I'm worrying on my own, without being loving or Chinese or Indochinese or American or European or Circadian or whatever... with my little heart beating very loudly for my friends who are a little too far away. I'll bring you some news that will be confirmed by Pablo. Acquisitions, or rather the innumerable rare and not at all rare acquisitions, are continuing apace, by boat, by plane, by telegram, by letter and in person too, don't worry. There are booksellers everywhere. The millions are running out fast, but don't worry, there are still people who didn't win a prize and who are making the donations demanded by circumstances, in the name of the vanished prize. Everything is arranged equitably in this world.

"Jacqueline Alain I am interrupted by this thing [arrows point to a pasted Jesus] well how are you dear birds? We've been in Rome for 12 days, it was raining but today the sun came out. We're in a beautiful house with a pianist and a Siamese cat. You saw how I won a prize, so the bottles and the Rimbauds will be shaking. We will be in Paris at the end of January, we send you our love. Formica Pablo"

Full transcript available on request.

Nice outfit.