Voltaire, Candide, illustrations

Illustrations in the 1778 et de 1787 Editions of Candide

Several editions of Voltaire's contes [philosophiccal tales] were made during his lifetime, including Paris 1764 and London (Rouen) 1775. The 1778 edition (Bouillon) was illustrated by Chodowiecky and the 1787 edition by Moreau the younger. These engravings were often reused in 19th-century editions, as well as new renderings by other artists.


Le Baron ... voyant cette cause & cet effet ...
[The Baron ... seing this cause and this effect ...],
1787 edition
... chassa Candide à grands coups de pied dans le derrière
[ ... chased Candide away with great kicks in the rear],
1778 edition
Candide s'enfuit au plus vite dans un autre village
[Candide fled as quickly as possible to another village],
1787 edition
"C'est à ce prix que vous mangez du sucre en Europe"
[This is the price for the sugar you eat in Europe"],
1787 edition
Candide ... recula trois pas saisi d'horreur, et avança ensuite par bon procédé
[Candide ... reeled back three steps in horror and then, for politeness sake, advanced],
1787 edition
Voltaire telling a story,
Title page of one of the volumes of the 1778 edition of Voltaire's Romans et Contes