46 - JACQUES BREL

JACQUES BREL Autograph letter signed “J. Brel,” Hiva Oa (Marquesas Islands), May 1, 1976, describing his life aboard the Askoy II and his distance from Europe. 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 May 1, 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 retired after stepping away from the stage and embarking on a long voyage aboard his sailboat, 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 would settle permanently on Hiva Oa, before returning to Paris in 1977 to record his final album, *Les Marquises*. The letter concludes with an affectionate closing, followed by a humorous postscript: “Long live the king!” Dimensions: 27.5 x 21 cm. Fading, old creases, tears, and small missing sections along the top edge.