Blanche Meyer collection of Jean Giono
Collection
Call Number: GEN MSS 457
Scope and Contents
The Blanche Meyer Collection of Jean Giono consists of letters, manuscripts, clippings, and photographs which document the work of the French novelist, Jean Giono, especially as they involved his relationship with Blanche Meyer. The collection has been organized into three series: Correspondence, Manuscripts, and Other Papers and span the years 1938-1974.
Series I, Correspondence, consists primarily of letters from Giono to Blanche and Louis Meyer between 1939-1969. The majority is addressed to Blanche, with several letters to other persons present, most likely enclosures in letters to Blanche Meyer. [A list of these other letters in included in the box and folder list.] Envelopes are files separately from the letters (as they were received with the collection).
Series II. Manuscripts, includes original drafts for several Giono items, including notebooks for "Pour saluer Melville" and a holograph copy of "Faust au Village". Several shorter items, including two untitled pieces are also found here. One other manuscript is present, an essay on Giono by a American student.
Series III, Other Papers, contains documentary material about Giono's life and career. The Publication and Permissions Files concern requests to use works by Giono, mostly addressed to Blanche Meyer, as owner of certain copyrights. Also present here are several contracts concerning Giono works and a legal brief addressing a dispute between Giono and Marcel Pagnol. The Clippings encompass reviews and mentions of Giono, obituaries and tributes to Giono, and a small group of essays by Giono. Following a single item of Printed Material, a book prospectus for "Provence", are a number of finely printed photographs, showing Giono in and around the landscape of Manosque, many carrying a photographer's stamp, "Karquel". Included at the end of this series are original wrappers received with the collection.
Box 12 contains Oversize items from Series III.
Series I, Correspondence, consists primarily of letters from Giono to Blanche and Louis Meyer between 1939-1969. The majority is addressed to Blanche, with several letters to other persons present, most likely enclosures in letters to Blanche Meyer. [A list of these other letters in included in the box and folder list.] Envelopes are files separately from the letters (as they were received with the collection).
Series II. Manuscripts, includes original drafts for several Giono items, including notebooks for "Pour saluer Melville" and a holograph copy of "Faust au Village". Several shorter items, including two untitled pieces are also found here. One other manuscript is present, an essay on Giono by a American student.
Series III, Other Papers, contains documentary material about Giono's life and career. The Publication and Permissions Files concern requests to use works by Giono, mostly addressed to Blanche Meyer, as owner of certain copyrights. Also present here are several contracts concerning Giono works and a legal brief addressing a dispute between Giono and Marcel Pagnol. The Clippings encompass reviews and mentions of Giono, obituaries and tributes to Giono, and a small group of essays by Giono. Following a single item of Printed Material, a book prospectus for "Provence", are a number of finely printed photographs, showing Giono in and around the landscape of Manosque, many carrying a photographer's stamp, "Karquel". Included at the end of this series are original wrappers received with the collection.
Box 12 contains Oversize items from Series III.
Dates
- 1938-1974
Creator
Conditions Governing Access
The materials are open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
The Blanche Meyer Collection of Jean Giono is the physical property of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Literary rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. For further information, consult the appropriate curator.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from Blanche Meyer on the Edwin J. Beinecke Book Fund, 1974-75.
Extent
6.19 Linear Feet (12 boxes)
Language of Materials
French
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
Correspondence consists principally of letters from Jean Giono to Blanche Meyer, along with several to her husband, Louis. The Manuscripts include notebooks and drafts of "Pour Saluer Melville", and "Faust au Village". Among the Other Papers are a group of letters from publishers requesting rights to Giono's works, clippings about Giono's life and work, and a number of photographs of Giono in his native Provence.
JEAN GIONO (1895-1970)
Jean Giono, French novelist, whose works told stories of the people of his native Provence, coupled with a celebration of nature. They include Le hussard sur le toit and Deux cavaliers de l'orage. He died in his native village of Manosque in October 1970.
Processing Information
A number of "cataloger's notes" which were apparently received wit the collection in the 1970s have been retained and placed in separate folders preceding the items they describe. A number of other notes, providing specific context or identifications for items have been kept throughout the collection.
- Title
- Guide to the Blanche Meyer Collection of Jean Giono
- Status
- Under Revision
- Author
- by Timothy G. Young
- Date
- January 2000
- Description rules
- Beinecke Manuscript Unit Archival Processing Manual
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.