Harvard University homepage
HARVARD.EDU

What’s New: In Search of Things Proust

Front facade of Houghton Library

Marcel Proust, [A l'ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs]. Corrected proofs (detail), [Paris, 1918?] Houghton p FC9 P9478 918aabThis weekend, expect the smell of madeleines to fill the balmy spring air of Harvard Yard, as Proustians from around the world gather in Cambridge for the conference Proust and the Arts. Coinciding with the centennial of the publication of Swann’s Way, the first book in Proust’s masterwork In Search of Lost Time, the co-organizers of the conference, Christie McDonald, Smith Professor of French Language and Literature in Romance Languages and Literatures and Professor of Comparative Literature at Harvard University; and François Proulx, Lecturer on Comparative Literature at Harvard University, have organized exhibitions and programming to highlight Harvard University’s extraordinary Proust-related holdings.

Houghton Library has mounted an exhibition curated by Proulx, “Private Proust: Letters and Drawings to Reynaldo Hahn” (at the Library’s Amy Lowell Room through April 28th). Other exhibitions include turn-of-the-century photographs from the Harvard Art Museums at the Mather House SNLHTC Gallery, and selections from the Harvard Art Museums’ remarkably Proustian collection of paintings and drawings at the Arthur M. Sackler Museum and in an online exhibition.

There is also a concert, and films. Proust is in the curriculum as well, with French 165, Marcel Proust. For a full description of events, and the conference program, visit http://www.proust-arts.com/

Photo caption: Marcel Proust, [A l’ombre des jeunes filles en fleurs]. Corrected proofs (detail), [Paris, 1918?] Houghton p FC9 P9478 918aab. Included in the exhibition Private Proust: Letters and Drawings to Reynaldo Hahn, in the Amy Lowell Room, Houghton Library, through April 28th.

This post is part of a series called “What’s New.” Throughout the year, Houghton staff members will be blogging about new acquisitions and newly digitized materials. All posts associated with this series may be viewed by clicking on the What’sNew tag.

[Thanks to Leslie Morris, Curator of Modern Books and Manuscripts, for contributing this post.]