Beschreibung:

MÉRIMÉE, PROSPER, attributed to] A Lady in Greek Costume; a Man's Head in Profile; and Greek Decorative Motifs. A sheet of sketches, inscribed extensively in Classical Greek, including the (slightly misquoted) first line of the Odyssey "Andra moi ennepe, thea, polutropon hos mala polla" [Tell me, goddess, of the man of many turnings (who wandered) many ways]. Ink on paper, 9 1/4 x 7 3/8 inches (23.5 x 18.7 cm), the verso with two labels reading: dessin original de/Prosper Mérimée/provenant collection/Jacques Tarsot de Versailles and "croques execute pendant/une seance de 'l'Inspection/des Monuments Historiques' et recueilli par le pere de Jacques/Tarsot qui etait alors Huissier/audiencier" (sketches executed during a meeting of the Inspectors of Historic Monuments and collected by Jacques Tarsot's father, who was the bailiff in attendance). Mérimée is perhaps best known for his novella Carmen. C
The sheet hinged to the mount at upper right and upper left with white tape; corners reinforced with small triangles of blue paper. Paper toned; some staining. In the line from the Odyssey inscribed on the sheet, the original word mousa (muse) is replaced by thea (goddess).