Dom Pedro II writes in Italian one of his last letters written on Brazilian soil, exactly two months before his abdication.
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Handwritten letter from Dom Pedro II to an unidentified recipient.
- A leaf.
- In Italian.
- 13.5 cm x 21 cm.
- Rio de Janeiro, September 19, 1889.
- Excellent condition of conservation.
- One-of-a-kind.
Translation from Italian to Portuguese
Sir,
My memories of the beautiful city of Florence and its culinary delights are always vivid, and I hope that you will study the book I am sending you.
It's been a long time since I've heard from you, especially regarding our oriental studies.
I haven't forgotten you, a very interesting person, and I ask you to remember me to the people I know in Florence and to offer my respects to your wife. I delude myself into thinking I am your intimate friend.
Dom Pedro of Alcántara
Tijuca, September 19, 1889
This letter, in perfect condition, is very interesting for at least three reasons:
First, this is the first letter from Dom Pedro II in Italian that I have in my possession , even though I know that the emperor spoke and wrote in Italian, in addition to French, English, German, Spanish, and Tupi. We also know that he studied Latin, Sanskrit, Russian, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic. In short, Dom Pedro was a polyglot, which was an advantage for his foreign policy, his scientific studies, and his travels.
Secondly, this letter once again demonstrates the emperor's immense curiosity , as it discusses cuisine, books, and oriental studies. According to the Dictionary of Portuguese-Speaking Orientalists:
(...) Pedro II, a pioneer in the study and translation of oriental languages in the country, was an orientalist. (...)
(...) He dedicated a large part of his life to studying oriental languages, such as Hebrew, Arabic, Turkish, and Persian, until – literally – the eve of his death, and to collecting books and photographs related to the Orient; he corresponded with famous specialists, such as Ernest Renan and Maxime du Camp; and he visited the region twice, in 1871 and 1876. He also followed with deep interest the International Congresses of Orientalists and even participated in the third one, held in Saint Petersburg, Russia, in 1876. It is to be admitted that his orientalist interests are due, in a certain way, to his mother, D. Leopoldina, or more precisely to her library, which D. Pedro inherited (...)
Finally, the date of the letter is noteworthy. September 17, 1889, just two months before the end of the monarchy, it is probably one of the last letters that Dom Pedro II wrote on Brazilian soil before spending the rest of his life exiled in France.
