Exhibition
Pleasures and Sociability on Screens in the Eighteenth Century
The Manoir Boucher de Niverville, Trois-Rivières (Quebec)
June 1st – October 31th 2027
Event organized by
Nathalie Rizzoni (Ingénieur de recherche, CELLF, UMR 8599 of the CNRS and Sorbonne University)
And sponsored by
the Canadian Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (CSECS)
Culture 3R
Université du Québec at Trois-Rivières
the Centre d’Étude de la Langue et des Littératures Françaises (CELLF) in Paris
UMR 8599 of the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) and Sorbonne University
The Countess and the Marquis, Madam Argante or her husband used it dayly in the winter to shield their face from the heat of the flames by the fireplaces.
Part book, part print, it featured pictures and texts on the front and back of its cardboard sheet.
Sometimes informative, sometimes entertaining, this multifunctional and elegant (though disposable) item used to spark lively conversations around the fireplace. Now regarded as both a scientific artifact and a highly rare work of art, it reflects the interests and aesthetic tastes of its users in the Eighteenth Century.
What is it called? A handscreen.
The exhibition – the first dedicated to this essential everyday accessory – will show handscreens selected to reflect the topic of the 2027 CSECS Congress, prints and books published in France in the Eighteenth Century, all drawn from a private French collection.
One of the smartest heritage properties in Trois-Rivières, the Manoir Boucher de Niverville, will be the display case of this event.
