Blanche Meyer collection of Jean Giono

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.