Émile ZOLA, splendid signed autograph letter card Exile London Fertility

  
Large and beautiful letter-card on the eve of his return from London exile. Zola is preparing with Alexandrine the dispatch of the corrected proofs for "Fécondité". Slnd, [London, May 1899], a rare cream card with rounded edges and a golden border on the edge, typical of luxury English stationery of the time.

Size: 8.5 x 11.5 cm. (Magnetic exhibition frame included, 12 x 16 cm). A beautiful letter-card written by Zola from London to his publisher on the eve of his return from exile (June 5, 1899) and the publication of Fécondité.

Zola had fled on July 19, 1898, to avoid prison following the publication of his "J'accuse" in the Dreyfus affair and his conviction for defamation. The official announcement of the revision of Dreyfus's trial by the Court of Cassation allows Zola to return to France. During these 11 months in England, Zola and his wife Alexandrine would constantly exchange letters. While Alexandrine sometimes joined her husband in exile or managed his affairs from Paris, Zola remained particularly attentive to her physical and mental health, which was strained by the consequences and violence of the Dreyfus affair. The "placards" Zola refers to are the printing proofs before the final layout.

The fact that they are "corrected" means they carry the author's latest modifications. At this time, Zola is at the peak of his fame and is being translated in many countries.

To avoid counterfeits and ensure a simultaneous release abroad, Fasquelle had additional sets of placards printed which he sent to translators in England, Germany, the United States, etc., even before the book was completed in France. I kindly ask you to deliver to my wife the sixteen copies of the corrected proofs of the first two books of "Fécondité" that you must have had printed for my translations.

She is used to handling the dispatches with me; moreover, as she is forced to stay in her room, this small task will distract her. Thank you and warmly yours. For insights into Émile Zola's daily life in London in 1898 and 1899, the fascinating "Letters to Alexandrine" published by Gallimard in 2014 is recommended. It reveals, in addition to the day-to-day developments and twists of the Dreyfus affair, the exceptional relationship and deep affection Zola had for his wife despite the numerous marital and political challenges the couple faced.

Below, a street in London photographed by Émile Zola. Find all our original photographs taken by Émile Zola on this dedicated page. Below, Alexandrine Zola photographed by Zola in the garden of their house in Médan, around 1895. Émile Zola by Paul Nadar, circa 1890.