Balzac's 'Lost Illusions' Manuscript Published in Facsimile by Verdier

Éditions Verdier has launched a new collection in collaboration with the Fondation Empreinte, hosted by the Institut de France, dedicated to reproducing original manuscripts. The inaugural volume presents a facsimile of Honoré de Balzac's manuscript for 'Illusions perdues' (Lost Illusions). The publication includes a preface by Stéphane Vachon titled 'Honoré de Balzac au travail' and an avant-propos by Jean-Pierre Gérault. The review reflects on the aesthetic and scholarly value of examining Balzac's heavily corrected proofs and manuscript pages, which reveal his creative process—crossed-out words, added passages, and evolving character roles. The text draws parallels between Gutenberg's printing revolution and today's digital revolution, citing Lamartine's 1853 prophecy about the future of communication. Balzac's novel itself critiques the industrialization of literature and the corruption of journalism, themes further explored in his 1842 'Monographie de la presse parisienne'. The reviewer notes that digital media cannot replicate the tactile experience of handling original manuscripts, which offer unique insight into an author's working method.