Printed slip in German, signed "H. Hesse," one page, 4 x 5.75, circa 1957. Headed "From a letter from July 1957, after the eightieth birthday," the piece reads, in full (translated): "In old age, one looks back with strange reflections on a long life that has almost passed. The second half of my life was dramatic, rich in struggles, rich in enemies, in hardships and ultimately in all too many successes. But the strength to survive this troubled half of my life came from the first, quieter half, from the almost forty years of peace that I was able to experience. People have spoken of war as a steel bath. In my experience, however, it is only peace that promotes and gives strength." In fine condition.

Composed of several subsidiaries, the Drouot Group is a major player in the art market. Hôtel Drouot, located in the heart of Paris, has been the world's largest public auction center since 1852. 15 salerooms are available to more than 70 auction houses. The emulation generated by an annual offer of 230,000 artworks from 21 major specialities - from Antiquity to street art - attracts some 3,000 visitors every day. The Group's digital platform, Drouot.com, offers digital sales - Live auctions (live broadcasting and participation in auctions), Online-only auctions (dematerialised auctions) and Buy Now sales (sales of lots at fixed prices). Nearly 2 million items are offered annually by 600 auction houses. Auction news is reported every week in La Gazette Drouot, the leading weekly magazine for the art market and culture published by Auctionspress.