JACQUES BREL, An autograph letter signed ‘J. Brel’, Hiva Oa (Marquesas

A two-page handwritten letter attributed to Jacques Brel (1929–1978), written in blue ink on a sheet of paper written on both sides, dated 1 May 1976 in Hiva Oa, in the Marquesas Islands, and signed ‘J. Brel’. Addressed to an unidentified friend, this letter offers a glimpse into Jacques Brel’s life in the Pacific, where he had retired after stepping away from the stage and embarking on a long voyage aboard his sailing boat, the Askoy II. This letter is particularly representative of the final period of Brel’s life, divided between his attachment to Belgium and his desire for freedom and anonymity in the Marquesas. A few months later, he settled permanently on Hiva Oa, before returning to Paris in 1977 to record his final album, *Les Marquises*. The letter ends with an affectionate closing, followed by a humorous postscript: ‘Long live the king!’. Dimensions: 27.5 x 21 cm. Foxing, old creases, tears and small losses along the top edge.

Estimate:£668.30

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