^Lot 631 Victor Hugo

Important French writer, artist, and statesman (1802–1885) best known for such canonical novels as Les Misérables and Notre-Dame de Paris (aka The Hunchback of Notre Dame). Much of his literary output was devoted to political and social issues, and in the 1840s he became actively involved in the French government as a legislator and staunch activist on behalf of the Republican cause. In 1851 the controversy surrounding his inflammatory writings denouncing Louis-Napoléon forced him into a two-decade exile, during which his productive creative pace barely slackened. Scarce original 2.5 x 4 carte-de-visite photo of Hugo resting his head on his hand, signed and inscribed in black ink “A M. A. Roussel. Victor Hugo.” Photo is also dated "H[auteville] H[ouse] avril 1868,” in another hand. A single tack hole to top edge, a bit of mild spotting and toning to edges of image, and scattered light soiling to border, otherwise fine condition.