Bibliothèque Mazarine
Encyclopedia
The Bibliothèque Mazarine (biblijɔtɛk mazaʁin) is the oldest public library
in France
.
, was dispersed when he had to flee Paris
during the Fronde
.
He then began a second library with what was left of the first, assisted by the successor to Naudé, François de La Poterie. At his death he bequeathed his library, which he had opened to scholars since 1643, to the Collège des Quatre-Nations
which he had founded in 1661. Reopened in 1682, the Mazarin library has occupied the eastern wing of the Bâtiments du Collège since its inception. The Collège des Quatre-Nations became in 1805 the Palais de l’Institut de France
.
By the time of the French Revolution
, the Bibliothèque Mazarine sheltered more than 60000 volumes. The library, became public and received a considerable number of books seized from the nobles or from religious congregations. Among its collection of 2370 incunabula
is a specimen of the Gutenberg Bible
known as the Bible Mazarine.
Former French president François Mitterrand
's once illegitimate and hidden daughter Mazarine Pingeot
is said to be named after this library because of her parents' love for books.
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
History
The Bibliothèque Mazarine was initially the personal library of cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661), who was a great bibliophile. His first library, arranged by his librarian, Gabriel NaudéGabriel Naudé
Gabriel Naudé was a French librarian and scholar. He was a prolific writer who produced works on many subjects including politics, religion, history and the supernatural. An influential work on library science was the 1627 book Advice on Establishing a Library...
, was dispersed when he had to flee Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
during the Fronde
Fronde
The Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
.
He then began a second library with what was left of the first, assisted by the successor to Naudé, François de La Poterie. At his death he bequeathed his library, which he had opened to scholars since 1643, to the Collège des Quatre-Nations
Collège des Quatre-Nations
The Collège des Quatre-Nations , also known as the Collège Mazarin after its founder, was one of the colleges of the historic University of Paris. It was founded through a bequest by the Cardinal Mazarin...
which he had founded in 1661. Reopened in 1682, the Mazarin library has occupied the eastern wing of the Bâtiments du Collège since its inception. The Collège des Quatre-Nations became in 1805 the Palais de l’Institut de France
Institut de France
The Institut de France is a French learned society, grouping five académies, the most famous of which is the Académie française.The institute, located in Paris, manages approximately 1,000 foundations, as well as museums and chateaux open for visit. It also awards prizes and subsidies, which...
.
By the time of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the Bibliothèque Mazarine sheltered more than 60000 volumes. The library, became public and received a considerable number of books seized from the nobles or from religious congregations. Among its collection of 2370 incunabula
Incunabulum
Incunable, or sometimes incunabulum is a book, pamphlet, or broadside, that was printed — not handwritten — before the year 1501 in Europe...
is a specimen of the Gutenberg Bible
Gutenberg Bible
The Gutenberg Bible was the first major book printed with a movable type printing press, and marked the start of the "Gutenberg Revolution" and the age of the printed book. Widely praised for its high aesthetic and artistic qualities, the book has an iconic status...
known as the Bible Mazarine.
Former French president François Mitterrand
François Mitterrand
François Maurice Adrien Marie Mitterrand was the 21st President of the French Republic and ex officio Co-Prince of Andorra, serving from 1981 until 1995. He is the longest-serving President of France and, as leader of the Socialist Party, the only figure from the left so far elected President...
's once illegitimate and hidden daughter Mazarine Pingeot
Mazarine Pingeot
Mazarine Marie Pingeot , who changed her name to Mazarine Marie Pingeot-Mitterrand in 2005, is a writer, journalist and professor.-Life:...
is said to be named after this library because of her parents' love for books.
Librarians
- Gabriel NaudéGabriel NaudéGabriel Naudé was a French librarian and scholar. He was a prolific writer who produced works on many subjects including politics, religion, history and the supernatural. An influential work on library science was the 1627 book Advice on Establishing a Library...
- Charles Palissot de Montenoy
- Charles Marie Dorimond de Féletz
- Jean Augustin Amar-Durivier
- Joseph NaudetJoseph NaudetJoseph Naudet was a French historian who was a native of Paris.He initially worked at the Ecole Normale Supérieure, and was later a teacher of Latin poetry at the Collège de France...
: -1848 - Charles Augustin Sainte-BeuveCharles Augustin Sainte-BeuveCharles Augustin Sainte-Beuve was a literary critic and one of the major figures of French literary history.-Early years:...
: 1840-1848 - Jean-Jacques AmpèreJean-Jacques AmpèreJean-Jacques Ampère was a French philologist and man of letters.Born in Lyon, he was the only son of the physicist André-Marie Ampère. Jean-Jacques' mother died while he was an infant....
- Armand d'Artois
- Pierre Gasnault
- Christian Péligry
Further reading
- Edward Edwards. Memoirs of libraries including a handbook of Library economy. v.2. London: Trübner, 1859
- A. Franklin, Histoire de la bibliothèque Mazarine, 2e éd., Paris, H. Welter, 1901 (1st edition, 1860)
- Adolphe Joanne. The Diamond Guide for the stranger in Paris. Paris: Hachette, 1867
- "Mazarine Library." Report of the Fifteenth Annual Meeting of the Library Association of the United Kingdom: ... held in Paris ... 1892. London: 1893
- M. Piquard, « La bibliothèque de Mazarin et la Bibliothèque Mazarine, 1643-1804 », in: Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres. Compte-rendus des séances de l’année 1975, janvier-mars, 1975, p. 129-130.
- P. Gasnault, « De la bibliothèque de Mazarin à la Bibliothèque Mazarine », in: Histoire des bibliothèques françaises. Les bibliothèques sous l’Ancien Régime, 1530-1789, 1988
- La Bibliothèque Mazarine, no 222 (déc. 2000-janv./fév. 2001) of Arts et métier du livre