Illustrated love letter by Little Prince author is auctioned

Auction house Artcurial says it was likely that it was Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s last correspondence before his plane disappeared in 1944 on a mission in World War II.

An illustration by Antoine de Saint-Exupery showing a likeness of his renowned little prince atop a globe, adorning an anguished love letter, has sold at auction for 240,500 euros ($289,460). Auction house Artcurial said the offering topped the sale Saturday of 49 autographed works by Saint-Exupery.

The illustration showing a likeness of Saint-Exupery's renowned Little Prince atop a globe, adorning an anguished love letter, has sold at auction for 240,500 euros. (AP)

The watercolour, done around 1942, shows the likeness of the beloved character the author created for the 1943 book “The Little Prince” sitting at a desk with a long scroll of writing tumbling down the globe — representing an 11-page letter to a woman.

Artcurial says it was likely that it was Saint-Exupery’s last correspondence before his plane disappeared in 1944 on a mission in World War II.

“The Little Prince” is one of the most translated books in history, according to the Paris-based Saint-Exupery Foundation.

Follow @htlifeandstyle for more