French Revolution—Louis XVI | A collection of letters and documents relating to the King's imprisonment, 1792-1793

Louis XVI--Imprisonment

A collection of eight letters and documents relating to the King's imprisonment and execution, and one relating to Marie Antoinette, comprising:

i) Commune de Pairs, letter signed by the President of the Council, Gattrez, ‘au Ministre’, asking if the King should be permitted to see his family, ‘Louis communiquera-t-il librement avec sa femme et sa famille?’, and if decree was issued on this matter, one page, folio, Paris, 20e jour l’an 2˚ [20 October 1792]

ii) Convention Nationale, a certified copy of the decree pronouncing that ‘Louis Capet’ may see his children but until the final judgement is given by the Convention the children may not communicate with their mother or aunt, printed with 7 lines in manuscript, 2 pages, folio, Paris, 15 December 1792

iii) A letter signed by Paul Chaumette, as ‘Procureur de la Commune’, to the Mayor of Paris, 17 December 1792, confirming that he has received and registered the decree, one page, 4to

iv) A manuscript excerpt of the proceedings of the Convention, 29 December 1792, ordering that Louis Capet shall be brought to the bar [of the tribunal] at nine o’clock the next day, one page, 4to

v) A printed decree of the National Convention, announcing that the death sentence has been passed on Louis Capet, and other decisions, 15-20 January 1793

vi) An excerpt of the proceedings of the Convention, decreeing that the royal coronation coach and other similar coaches are to be stripped down, with instructions for the scrapping of precious metals and disposal of ornaments, 2 pages, folio, 2 floreal l’an deuxieme [21 April 1794]

vii) A copy of a letter by Citoyen Tronchet to the Minister of Justice, in response to a summons to attend the King’s trial, one page, folio, [13 December 1792]

viii) A letter signed by Malesherbes to the Minister of Justice, saying that his letter of nomination as Counsel to the King arrived after he had gone to the Temple with Tronchet, and he was not admitted until a copy of the decree was sent by the President of the Convention, one page, folio, 14 December 1792

[with:]

ix) Jacques Nicolas Billaud Varenne, autograph letter signed to Garan de Coulon, [Paris], requiring him on behalf of the Comité de Salut Publique to send the information about ‘la veuve Capet’ (Marie Antoinette), which she holds, as member of the Commission charged with drawing up the act of accusation against her, 1 page, 8vo, 6e jour de la 2e decade du 1er mois, l’an 2s [7 October 1793]

PROVENANCE:

Christie's, London, 29 June 1995