Candide or Optimism

Voltaire's Candide, or, Optimism is modelled on the complete edition of Voltaire's works which was published by the Imprimerie de la Société Littéraire Typographique , founded in 1780 by Pierre -Augustin de Beaumarchais in Kehl .

On a Certain Typographical Uniqueness of the Kehl Books is determined by the fact that they were printed in fonts… John Baskerville (1706–1775). Beaumarchais bought them – after years of effort – in Great Britain in December 1779, along with all the equipment of the famous Birmingham printer's workshop. They were transported to Khel , where preparations for the creation of a publishing house began. For this purpose, in 1779 Beaumarchais also bought paper mills in Arches , Archette and Plombieres .

In order to properly reflect the character of Baskerville's prints, it was intended to bring them to Khel his old typesetter John Handy . Since Handy he did not want to leave Great Britain, they decided to send him to study Claude Jacob . He was paid a thousand ecus on the occasion, because he brought Baskerville's type and presses into proper order. However, after his return, he decided to open his own, competing publishing house. Society Typography in Strasbourg, using fonts cut by him.

Word from Khel

Despite the difficulties, the first books from Kehl appearing in 1774, the last in 1790. At that time the printing house was closed and the entire equipment was taken to Paris. Apart from Voltaire (whose "complete works", including correspondence, were enclosed in 70 volumes of 8vo format or 92 in a cheaper version, in 12o format. This first posthumous and complete edition of Voltaire's works can be called without a shadow of an exaggeration a masterpiece of typographic art; where both luxury and substantive value of the edition were taken care of. In Kehl works by J.-J. Rousseau were also printed, as well as Beaumarchais himself ( The Marriage of Figaro ) and the Italian poet Vittoria Alfieri . The venture almost ruined Beaumarchais, who nevertheless wrote: "In five years I have lost a fortune, but Europe will be satisfied. I had the courage to convey to her a bold word."

Keeping in mind the history of the Khel office, our Candide or Optimism Voltaire submitted an electronic version of the Baskerville font recreated from printed materials Imprimerie of the Society Literature Typographique . We have also included illustrations that Jean-Michel Moreau prepared, among others, for the Kehl edition.

Title photo from: www.edition-originale.com