GORKY, Maxim [pseudonym of Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov] (1868-1936) Two autograph letters signed ('M Gor'kii' in Cyrillic and 'Massimo Gorki'), to Ugo Ojetti, [Rome] and Naples, [22 December n.y.] and 3 April 1926 (the first in Russian with French translation in his secretary's hand, the second in French); 7 letters in the hand of his secretary and signed in autograph, two greetings cards with autograph messages and one postcard, all to Ugo Ojetti, and one typed letter to N.I.Iordanskii, all variously signed by Gorky, approximately 3 pages, 4to, entirely in autograph, 10 pages, 8vo and 4to, in a secretarial hand; and 25 related letters and other items.
GORKY, Maxim [pseudonym of Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov] (1868-1936) Two autograph letters signed ('M Gor'kii' in Cyrillic and 'Massimo Gorki'), to Ugo Ojetti, [Rome] and Naples, [22 December n.y.] and 3 April 1926 (the first in Russian with French translation in his secretary's hand, the second in French); 7 letters in the hand of his secretary and signed in autograph, two greetings cards with autograph messages and one postcard, all to Ugo Ojetti, and one typed letter to N.I.Iordanskii, all variously signed by Gorky, approximately 3 pages, 4to, entirely in autograph, 10 pages, 8vo and 4to, in a secretarial hand; and 25 related letters and other items.

Details
GORKY, Maxim [pseudonym of Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov] (1868-1936) Two autograph letters signed ('M Gor'kii' in Cyrillic and 'Massimo Gorki'), to Ugo Ojetti, [Rome] and Naples, [22 December n.y.] and 3 April 1926 (the first in Russian with French translation in his secretary's hand, the second in French); 7 letters in the hand of his secretary and signed in autograph, two greetings cards with autograph messages and one postcard, all to Ugo Ojetti, and one typed letter to N.I.Iordanskii, all variously signed by Gorky, approximately 3 pages, 4to, entirely in autograph, 10 pages, 8vo and 4to, in a secretarial hand; and 25 related letters and other items.

Gorky's correspondent, Ugo Ojetti (1871-1946) was well known as an art critic and journalist. Gorky's letter of 22 December from Rome complains of articles published in the Italian press about the situation of Finland, and explains its historical position under Russian occupation and its special status as a Grand Duchy of the Empire (in Maria Andreeva's French translation) 'La Finlande est un pays d'une haute culture - alors elle est ennemie... Les Finois [sic] m'ont adressé la proposition de faire savoir â l'Europe les actions du gouvernement russe désignées contre leur pays et je voulais bien publier dans les journaux d'Italie et d'Angleterre des petits articles à ce sujet'. From Naples he writes of another article, 'Je ne suis pas blessé, mais j'ai eu de la peine à lire certaines phrases de vos articles ... J'ai gardé de vous, homme d'une haute culture, le meilleur souvenir. N'en parlons plus', adding in a postscript that he never belonged to any political party before the revolution. The earlier letters, mostly written by his secretary, the actress Maria Feodorovna Andreeva [Zheliabuzhskaia], referring to Gorky as her husband, express admiration and friendship for Ojetti, giving introductions for him to other writers (one to N.I.Iordanskii). One letter bemoans the visit to Italy of Nicholas II.

Gorky first visited Italy for political reasons and for his health, in 1906, and remained there until 1913, living mainly in Capri. His second stay, in the 1920s, was spent at Sorrento, whence he sometimes visited Russia. (38)
Sale room notice
There are 6 letters written in the hand of Gorky's secretary and signed by Gorky himself, and not 7 as stated in the catalogue.

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