Un amour de Candide” exhibition
On December 20, 1757, Voltaire took up winter residence in Lausanne. There, he wrote part of a “coitonnerie” that would become one of the most widely read, illustrated and transposed texts: Candide ou l’optimisme, the original edition of which went to press in Geneva in 1759.
Jean-Pierre Payot (1914-1984), director of Payot bookshops in Switzerland, was fascinated by this tale and assembled an exceptional collection of Candide , including 10 of the 17 editions published in 1759, as well as a wide range of illustrated editions. Following a donation by Jean-Marc Payot, the BCUL is delighted to present a selection of this remarkable collection to the public.
The exhibition can be visited at BCUL’s Riponne site from November 9, 2023 to October 19, 2024.
Curator: Silvio Corsini, former curator at the BCUL
Information for visitors: after 7 months on show, the original illustrated books have been replaced by reproductions for conservation reasons.
Guided tours for school classes, write to manifestations@bcu.unil.ch.