Marking the centenary of the writer’s death, Marcel Proust is the subject of a new exhibition at the BNF – near our hotels – taking an in-depth look at how his most famous work À la recherche du temps perdu came to be, with some exhibits being shown for the very first time.

À la recherche du temps perdu (In Search of Lost Time) is Proust’s masterwork, a classic among the classics, but it’s likely that you have little idea how it was conceived, or why it has become so famous.

This new exhibition at the BNF explains, volume by volume, how the novel was written, aided by the national library’s exceptional collection that Proust’s descendants donated in 1962, with extra illumination from research performed over the last two decades.

In all, 350 pieces are presented in ten themed rooms, with numerous manuscripts (of course), but also photos, paintings, clothing and other objects, including some important pieces recently acquired by the BNF, such as the signed edition of Du côté de chez Swann, the first volume of In Search of Lost Time.

Together for the first time ever, the items on show will help you to understand the context of the novel’s creation and Proust’s method, a great way to get an in-depth understanding of this absolute classic of French literature!

Organised in tandem with the exhibition, you may be interested in:

— two concerts on 12th December and 16th January,

— two film showings on 29th November: Céleste by Percy Adlon and La Captive by Chantal Akerman,

— a cycle of readings ‘out loud’ (?) as part of the Nuit de la lecture on 21st January,

— other talks…

A catalogue of the exhibition is also available – 240 pages, 185 illustrations, 39€ here at amazon.fr.

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The exhibition Marcel Proust – La fabrique de l’œuvre (Marcel Proust – The Making of a Masterpiece) is at the BnF (here) from 11th October 2022 – 22nd January 2023

Open Tuesday-Saturday from 10am-7pm, and Sundays 1-7pm

Admission: 10€ / 8€

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Une publication partagée par Bibliothèque nationale France (@labnf)