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| Caricature titled ‘Frou Frou Wagner’ published in Der Floh, on 24 June 1877, showing journalist Daniel Spitzer standing on a cache of letters pricking Wagner, who is in deep deliberation over bolts of silk and satin, with his poison pen; reproduced in John Grand-Carteret’s Richard Wagner en caricatures, Paris, 1892 |
"R tells me about a young couple who committed suicide for love, and he adds, "This is still the main tragedy of life". We are diverted from these dismal thoughts by my remarking how pretty his room (blue grotto) is, and this leads us to his desire for colours, for perfumes, the latter having to be very strong, since he takes snuff. "Taking snuff is really my soul", he says very drolly. At the start he describes how gently glowing colours influence his mood, but later in the conversation denies any connection and says very emphatically, "These are weaknesses". CW: Jan 23 1883
4 days later:
"R told me his dream: wearing the mauve nightgown he has on now, he went with me into a box in the theatre; there people behaved improperly towards him, but he did not wish to show himself, though he could hardly avoid it, while I became very embarrassed, whereon he woke up." CW: Jan 27 1883