top of page

ARCHIVES

Romain Rolland Collection

The Literature and Art Department of the French National Library (Bibliothèque nationale de France) preserves, within the Z Romain Rolland Collection, more than 13,000 volumes from Romain Rolland’s personal library. Additional books from his collection are housed in the Rare Books Reserve, while the Music Department holds documents related to music. Other materials are preserved by the Department of Prints and Photography and the Department of Performing Arts.

The Romain Rolland Collection includes the following manuscripts:

  • 78 Journal notebooks

  • Manuscripts and notes for Jean-Christophe (except Antoinette, whose notes are held in Nevers)

  • Early Dramas

  • Pages du Passé (Pages of the Past)

  • Clérambault

  • Memoirs

  • Péguy

  • The Inner Journey (Le Voyage intérieur)

  • The Enchanted Soul (L’Âme enchantée)

  • Michelangelo

  • Tolstoy

  • Gandhi

  • Beethoven (The Great Creative Epochs)

  • Empedocles of Agrigentum and the Age of Hatred

n.a.f. 18736-18737: (1899) The Triumph of Reason (Le Triomphe de la raison) (54 leaves) and a copy bearing the stamp of the Theatre Inspection Office (56 leaves).

n.a.f. 18738: The Fourteenth of July, a Popular Action in Three Acts (Le 14 juillet), copy with autograph handwritten corrections for publication in the Cahiers de la Quinzaine, dated November 1901, 126 leaves.

n.a.f. 18250: Colas Breugnon, first manuscript dated Vevey, April 28, 1913, 139 leaves.

Other manuscripts are preserved in the following collections.

Bibliothèque Sainte-Geneviève

Danton – Ms. 4082 – 1901 – 70 leaves

Corrected proofs of the edition of Danton published in the Cahiers de la Quinzaine (6th notebook of the 2nd series).

Contains extensive autograph notes by Romain Rolland and layout instructions by Charles Péguy, probably dating from late 1900 to January 1901 (the final edition bears the printing date of February 9, 1901).

At the beginning are two letters from Romain Rolland to Charles Péguy and one letter to André Bourgeois, secretary of the Cahiers.

The Time Will Come (Le Temps viendra) – Ms. 4075 – 1901-1906 – 71 leaves

Autograph manuscript containing typographical instructions written by Charles Péguy for publication in the Cahiers de la Quinzaine, where the work appeared in 1903 (14th notebook of the 4th series).

Includes three letters from Romain Rolland to André Bourgeois, secretary of the Cahiers, and two notes by Charles Péguy.

The People's Theatre (Le Théâtre du peuple) – Ms. 4078 – 1903 – 164 leaves

Autograph manuscript prepared for publication and followed by a detailed table written by Charles Péguy.

Romain Rolland reused printed sheets from his article “The People's Theatre and the Drama of the People,” published in December 1900 in the Revue d’Art Dramatique.

The People's Theatre was published in the 4th notebook of the 5th series of the Cahiers de la Quinzaine in 1903 (see Ms. 4079).

Two letters from Romain Rolland to André Bourgeois are attached.

Michelangelo – Ms. 4123 – 1942-1943

128 pages, 1 dedication leaf, and 17 typewritten leaves. XXIV plates outside the text (two plates missing).

Printed edition: Paris, Plon, undated (reprint of the 1905 edition, prior to 1942).

Copy corrected by the author's hand. Corrections are autograph and handwritten, except for 17 typewritten leaves and the index, which were corrected by another hand.

This unbound copy was used to prepare the new edition published by Albin Michel in 1943, as demonstrated by the printer’s proof markings written in pencil in the margins.

Lives of Illustrious Men: I. Beethoven – Ms. 4086 – 1902 – 80 leaves

Autograph manuscript prepared for publication by Charles Péguy and including a portrait of Beethoven.

Beethoven was published in January 1903 in the Cahiers de la Quinzaine (10th notebook of the 4th series).

At the beginning are three letters from Romain Rolland to Charles Péguy.

Lives of Illustrious Men: The Life of Michelangelo – Ms. 4085 – 1906 – 214 leaves

Autograph manuscript of both parts, prepared for publication by Charles Péguy.

Michelangelo was published in 1906 in the Cahiers de la Quinzaine: the first part in the 18th notebook of the 7th series and the second part in the 2nd notebook of the 8th series.

At the beginning are four letters from Romain Rolland to Charles Péguy and five letters from Romain Rolland to André Bourgeois, secretary of the Cahiers.

bottom of page