Beschreibung:

AN INK AUTOGRAPH OF TERESA MAKRI Ink signature, with dedication in Greek translating ‘I always stay with your sweet memory. Your Friend Therésa Makri”, preserved in 19th century paper boards portfolio, rubbed, with an engraving of ‘The Maid of Athens’ by H. T. Ryall, after A. Chalon, pasted onto inside front board, from the book ‘The Byron Gallery; a series of historical embellishments, illustrating the poetical works of Lord Byron’. Provenance: from the collection of Byron’s souvenirs at the Musée Historique de la Société Historique et Ethnologique de la Grèce, in Athens, Greece. Teresa Makri or Τερέζα Θηρεσία Μακρή (1797-1875) is known as Byron's ‘Maid of Athens’. She was the daughter of Tarsia Makri, at whose house in Missolonghi Byron lodged briefly in 1809 and in February 1810. The Makri family mansion was located on Agias Street which was later renamed Agias Theklas 14. Doctor Prokopis Makri was consul of England in Athens. The house consisted of two buildings, communicating with each other. The house had a courtyard with a fountain in the middle, as well as a small lemon garden. Following the death of Prokopis, his wife and his three daughters were forced to rent rooms in their home to foreign travellers. In 1809 Lord Byron rented some of the rooms and stayed there for ten weeks (Christmas 1809-March 1810). Theresa Makri was only 13 years old when Byron dedicated to her the famous poem ‘The Daughter of Athens’ (first published in ‘Childe Harold’, 1812), whose turn ends with the same Greek refrain 'I love you My life' (Ζωή μου, σᾶς ἀγαπῶ). Despite Byron's poetic love affair, love remained unfulfilled and platonic. Byron never met Teresa again. She married the British consul, Jacob Black, employed in H.M. Consular Service at Missolonghi, years later. Teresa eventually died impoverished in 1875 in Athens, Greece.