Le Petit Prince, one of the emblematic works of French literature, first appeared in the United States in 1943, now 80 years ago. To celebrate the anniversary of this iconic novel, an exceptional exhibition is being organized, from June 3 to September 25, 2023, at the Château l'Hospitalet in Narbonne, in collaboration with the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation.
This month marks the anniversary of the publication of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's work, one of the most famous books of all time. With nearly 140 million copies sold worldwide, The Little Prince has been adapted into thousands of languages and translated into approximately 500 different languages and dialects, making it the second most translated work of all time.
To mark the 80rd To mark the anniversary of this literary masterpiece, the Antoine de Saint Exupéry Youth Foundation is organizing an exhibition entitled "The Little Prince and the Aviator." This exhibition—the only one organized by the Foundation this year—will take place at Château l'Hospitalet in Narbonne, owned by Gérard Bertrand, from June 03 to September 25, 2023.
An immersion in the heart of the world of Antoine de Saint Exupéry
Antoine de Saint Exupéry was also, and above all, one of the great pioneers of aviation, a hero of France, and the most translated author in the French language. His iconic work, "The Little Prince," has rocked and still rocks the childhoods of millions of readers, who have found themselves immersed in an enchanting, poetic, and yet no less philosophical world.
A universe in which visitors can (re-)immerse themselves through the exhibition “ The Little Prince and the Aviator ", which introduces them to a range of objects and documents of rare authenticity, such as drawings of the Little Prince and completely unpublished manuscripts. Moreover, the Foundation is making available a series of its personal objects from its collections.
With his unique approach to the nature of true love, the Little Prince left an indelible mark on the hearts of every child... and among these children, three have become great contemporaries and will share their vision of this enchanting universe through unique and exceptional works of art...
So, Cyril Phan alias Congo, a true reference at the heart of the French graffiti scene, presents his recent canvases in vibrant shades but above all introduces visitors to a completely new piece... a Nord 1000, a French aircraft dating from 1934 which is none other than the competitor of the Caudron Simoun aircraft with which Antoine de Saint Exupéry participated in the great air raids Paris-Saigon (1935) and New York-Tierra del Fuego (1938). To pay homage to the literary wealth of Saint Exupéry and to fully immerse himself in his humanist and philosophical vision, Kongo inscribed the titles of the author's novels on the aircraft's fuselage.
Another artist inspired by the uniqueness of Antoine de Saint Exupéry and who made a trilogy of it with Editions Glénat, Cedric Fernandez selected his most beautiful drawings to present them in large format prints during the exhibition. As for the sculptor Jean-Marc de Pas, he pays homage to the author through a series of bronze sculptures whose main inspiration is none other than the original watercolors of the asteroids by Saint Exupéry illustrating The Little Prince.
Finally, like the captivating poetry that emerges from reading the iconic book, the exhibition escapes from the walls of the Espace d'Art to invade the interiors and exteriors of Château l'Hospitalet, through an extraordinary nocturnal extension projected onto the facades of the buildings... a moment suspended in time and space, for all those who wish to venture into the imagination of this legendary author...
The Little Prince, 80 years of pure poetry
This iconic novel was first published in French and English in the United States by Reynal & Hitchcock in April 1943 and republished in France after the liberation. Admiration for this seemingly simple story has not waned, and it still sells 5 million copies a year today, according to the Gallimard publishing house, which successfully launched the book in France in 1946.
Since then, he has continued to publish this short novel of barely 120 pages, which arouses the admiration of readers of all ages and from all parts of the world, maintaining its publishing success and inspiring creators who highlight its introspective character.
In the text, delicately illustrated by Saint-Exupéry, childhood is claimed as a territory where one can find the essential and the young Prince speaks of it while traveling across planets and making friends. If it has a universal scope, it is because it addresses universal themes in a very simple and at the same time very profound way. Among them, perhaps the one that unites us all, namely childhood, the nostalgia of being a child. ", said Pedro Manas, author of children's literature.
Saint-Exupéry, adventurer and aviator, wrote the novel while he was a military pilot in New York and it was not until 1946, after his death in a plane crash in 1944, that the book was published in a Europe already liberated from Nazism. It was only then that Leon Werth, an anarchist and Jewish journalist and writer, to whom the author dedicated the work for having been his best friend, was able to read it.
The illustrations, original watercolors by the author that today decorate all kinds of promotional items related to the character, are a fundamental element of the narrative. For illustrator Maria Hesse, it is a " very naive drawing which gives this aspect of returning to childhood ».
Visitor information
The Little Prince and the Aviator / Exhibition from June 3 to September 25, 2023 / Château l'Hospitalet – Narbonne / Free exhibition, every day from 9 a.m. to 20 p.m. / Evening screenings from 22 p.m.
EmaLynnx
