This document “complements the exceptional Fund of the National Library of France devoted to the author and enters into the national collections”, rejoices the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelin.
Le Monde with AFP
The National Library of France (BNF) bought auction, Wednesday, December 8, the manuscript of the germinal play of Emile Zola, adaptation of the famous novel, announced the Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, on Twitter
This document – sold 138 600 euros, says the Sotheby’s house – “completes the exceptional fund of the National Library of France dedicated to the author and thus in the national collections”, rejoiced the minister.
The highest bid, for this lot estimated at between 100,000 and 150 000 euros by Sotheby’s, was brought by the agglomeration community of the Hainaut Gate, in the North, said the agency France-Presse (AFP) The latter. It was without counting on the right of pre-emption that gives priority to the state, for the same amount.
“Now, Germinal belongs to all,” said the president of this intercommunality, Aymeric Robin.
The first version of the censored piece
The manuscript consists of 454 sheets written between 1885 and 1887 of the famous naturalistic novelist, to adapt his novel published in 1885.
“He joins the manuscript of the novel and more broadly all the manuscripts of the writer, kept at the BNF, in order to offer a renewed light on one of the most emblematic works of French literature”, welcomed the president of the BNF, Laurence Engel. M Engel suggested that she would take the initiative to show this manuscript: “I hope that the BNF can present this work soon to the strong symbolic scope.”
Huge success, this story of a revolt of coal miners in the north of France in the 1860s had, according to Emile Zola, the potential of an adaptation to the theater that would affect an even wider audience. But the writer had had the bad surprise to see the censorship refuse the first version of his room, judged too subversive. He had to write a second, sweetened, who knew a failure.
According to Sotheby’s, the seller is a “European” collector who “wishes to keep anonymous” and says “no more on the itinerary” of the latest great manuscript of Emile Zola still in private hands ” .
Communist elected representatives of the North, MP Fabien Roussel and Mr. Robin, had called the state to be bought for the manuscript to integrate public collections, in the same way as most of those of the author of the saga of Rougon-Macquart, a set of twenty novels.