Un amour de Candide
Illustration Etienne Calo (Paris, Gastaud frères, 1945)
That’s well said,” replied Candide, “but we must cultivate our garden.”
On December 20, 1757, Voltaire took up winter residence in Lausanne. There, he wrote part of a “coïonnerie” that would become one of his most widely read, illustrated and transposed texts: Candide ou l’optimisme, the original edition of which came off the 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 the collector’s son, BCUL is delighted to present a selection of this remarkable collection to the public.
Guided tour with exhibition curator Silvio Corsini
Exhibition from November 9, 2023 to October 19, 2024