The invention of the Renaissance, the humanist and literary exhibition at the BnF Richelieu - our photos

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From the 14th to the 16th century, this movement profoundly changed Europe, thanks to an extraordinary intellectual, artistic and scientific effervescence. Born in Italy, it restored the values of ancient civilizations found in ancient texts, and seduced princes and powerful men into literature, who demonstrated their greatness by creating superb libraries and collecting spectacular works.

In this exhibition, we explore the private study of the scholar surrounded by his books, as well as the public space of the great princely libraries. Visitors can discover the founding role of Petrarch and his library, follow the rediscovery of ancient texts, the work of publishing, translation, the promotion of human dignity and the values of the humanist movement, which are still of major importance in our societies today.

We admire the magnificently calligraphed and illuminated manuscripts, whose gilding sparkles thanks to the lights that highlight them. It's an opportunity to appreciate the skills of the plastic and visual arts, including painting, sculpture, the art of medals and bookbinding, engraving and drawing, in a sober scenography that leaves plenty of room for the works themselves. And to find out more, BnF is offering an audioguide on your phone, as if you were visiting the exhibition with its curators Jean-Marc Chatelain and Gennaro Toscano!