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University of St. Michael's College, John M. Kelly Library, Special Collections Zola Research Programs fonds
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Zola Research Programs fonds

  • CA ON00389 F17
  • Fonds
  • 1873-2008

Fonds consists of documents relating to the Zola Research Program and the publication of the 10 volume "Émile Zola Correspondance" series, including project files, inventories, reference materials, photocopies of Émile Zola’s correspondence and other documents related to the project. The project files contained in this fonds document the development and activities of the Zola Research Program. Project files records include inventories of various letters, funding information, budgetary forms, donor agreements, publicity documents and summaries of the project written both by external entities (newspapers) and internal figures (members of the Program staff). Also included are supplementary documents that were collected to create a broader contextual framework. Each letter is be supported with annotations and background information on the correspondents, events or people discussed in the letters as well as the social and political state of France during the 19th century. While the collection of letters by Zola was the primary mandate of the project, along the way the Program collected a vast number of reference materials to broaden the perspective. This fonds contains the off-prints, various documents (both collected by Zola and collected by the Zola Research Program about various 19th century figures) and bibliographies. Books collected by the Program are now the basis of the Émile Zola Collection in the Rare Book Collection of Kelly Library.

The correspondence is composed mostly of photocopies of handwritten letters, post cards, cartes de visites, telegrams and typed transcriptions of letters. The correspondence is a mixture of professional and personal letters that discuss various matters from the publication of Zola’s main works to the birth of his children. It is clear from the various handwritings and documentation styles that multiple figures were involved in the processing of the letters. However, as a Research Associate and long-term member of the team, Dorothy Speirs was the primary figure creating, processing and cross-referencing the letters. This can be seen through the presence of her initials on most of the documents. Additionally, as Project Archivist Hélène Issayevitch organized the letters and maintained the record-keeping practices throughout. It is important to note that after the dissolution of the Zola Research Program in 1995, Speirs continued collecting reference materials and adding them to the collection. As a result, there are a number of documents contained within that extend outside the dates of the Program. The result of this continued research is an additional publication completed in 2008, in association with Owen Morgan.

This collection remains the largest repository of Émile Zola’s letters available in North America. In recent years, the descendants of Zola have divided the estate, including the letters, resulting in a dispersal of the documents. This collection represents the largest single collection of Zola’s letters that is accessible and open to the public. Additionally, this fonds contains a fountain of information on key figures in the Naturalist Movement of the 19th century, as well as other well-known artists, scholars, intellectuals and political and social figures, including J.K. Huysmans, Edmond de Goncourt, Gustave Flaubert, Édouard Manet, Alfred Bruneau, Paul Alexis, Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, and Guy de Maupassant - all of which can be found either through personal discussions in the letters or supplementary documentation. The hidden value in this fonds lies in the plethora of reference resources that are available. The fonds also houses a vast number of off-prints that explore various aspects of Zola’s life as well as the broader Naturalist community of the 19th century. Some other significant pieces include original 19th century illustrated theatrical pamphlets from the Théâtre Libre, various original newspaper clippings and original letters by Émile Zola, Alexandrine Zola, Paul Alexis and Jules Claretie.

Fonds is arranged into 6 series:

1) Project Files series: consists of a variety of records that document the development of the project over the years, including funding information, publicity and marketing documents, donor agreements, budgetary forms and some correspondence amongst various scholars.

2) Letters by Zola series: consists of photocopies of letters written by Zola between 1856 and 1902. This series also contains an original letter by Émile Zola, dated June 22, 1890 (File #107).

3) Letters to Zola series: contains photocopies of letters written to Zola between 1858 and 1902. This series also contains an original letter by Alexandrine Zola to Émile Zola, dated May 27, 1890 (File #248).

4) Letters by Contemporaries series: consists of photocopies of letters sent between Zola’s family and contemporaries. This series contains an original letter from Paul Alexis to Léon Hennique, dated September 19, 1887 (File #420).

5) Collected and Reference Material series: contains photocopies of documents about the project and the various correspondents in the fonds (documents written by or about Émile Zola, documents about his family and correspondents, off-prints of works written about Émile Zola and naturalism, project inventories of letters and bibliographies). Series contains a variety of original documents including newspapers and theatrical pamphlets.

6) Alphabetical Index Forms series: consists of biographical and contextual information on correspondents of Émile Zola, figures mentioned in the letters, or the main journals for which he wrote.

Zola Research Program

Files 1-4

These files consist of records that document the various sources from which letters and documents were donated for the project. File #2 contains donation agreements for private French donors. The dates of these forms range from 1974 to 1988. File #3 contains an inventory of French libraries and journals that were visited throughout the course of the project. File #4 is a collection of references cards that outline the different public and private institutions that donated documents or letters to the project. These cards outline the name of the institution or figure, location, and a listing of the letters donated to the project.

Files 5-18

These files consist of records created and maintained by the Zola Research Program staff throughout the life of the project. Types of records found in these files include publicity and marketing documents (including some newspaper articles), various summaries of the project, funding and budgeting documents, salary, benefits and stipend forms, mail order lists, book orders for the Joseph Sablé Centre for 19th century French Studies (post-project) and graduate student profiles.

Files: 20-32

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters and typed/handwritten transcriptions of letters
written by Émile Zola between January of 1856 and December of 1870. The letters contained within are both
personal and professional; Zola writes to his friends regarding his life in Paris and his burgeoning writing
career. Meanwhile, these files also contain letters from his job at Hachette Publishing as well as letters sent to
various editors and reviewers regarding his early works including Contes à Ninon, La Confession de Claude, and
Thérèse Raquin. Some recurring correspondents include Georges Charpentier, Philippe Solari, Paul Cézanne,
Edmond de Goncourt, Géry Legrand, Marius Roux and Antony Valabrègue.

Files: 119-125

These files consist of photocopies and typed transcriptions of letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent by Émile Zola between October of 1892 and December of 1893. Recurring correspondents include
Ernest Vizetelly, Alfred Bruneau, Henry Céard, Georges Charpentier, Jacques van Santen Kolff, Gabriel
Thyébaut, Jeanne and Denise Rozerot, and Ely Halpérine-Kaminsky. Works discussed in these files include La
Débâcle, Le Docteur Pascal and Lourdes. The contents of the letters include both personal matters (his discussion
of his children and relationship with Jeanne Rozerot) and professional (both with the publication and
translation of his works and as the President of the Société des gens de lettres).

Files: 126-135

These files consist of photocopies and typed transcriptions of letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent by Émile Zola between January of 1894 and December of 1895. Recurring correspondents include Ernest
Vizetelly, Alfred Bruneau, Henry Céard, Georges Charpentier, Jacques van Santen Kolff, Gabriel Thyébaut,
Jeanne and Denise Rozerot, and Ely Halpérine-Kaminsky. Works discussed in these files include Le Docteur
Pascal and Lourdes. The contents of the letters include both personal and professional matters; his personal life
is quite prevalent in this period as seen in a letter to Jeanne Rozerot where he expresses his unhappiness with
his double life (dated July 13, 1894, in File #128). However, professional matters likewise influence his
writings, particularly as they relate to his work but also as his role with La Société des gens de lettres and the
criticism of Auguste Rodin’s Statue of Balzac, commissioned by Zola in 1891 as the President of the Society

Files: 136-145

These files consist of photocopies and typed transcriptions of letters, postcards, telegrams and cartes de visites
sent by Émile Zola between January of 1896 and December of 1897. Recurring correspondents include Henry
Céard, Alexandrine Zola, Alfred Bruneau, Jeanne Rozerot, Gabriel Thyébaut, and Ernest Vizetelly. The
contents of the letters are both personal and professional. Many of the letters sent to editors, publishers and
translators are regarding Rome and Paris. As well, these files cover the months leading up to Zola’s direct
involvement with the Dreyfus Affair. Discussion of the Dreyfus Affair becomes more prevalent in November
of 1897 (particularly when Zola writes to Alexandrine) and demonstrates Zola’s increasing involvement and
anger (as seen in letter to Alexandrine Zola, dated November 19, 1897, in File #144)

Files: 146-150

These files consist of photocopies and typed transcriptions of letters, postcards, telegrams and cartes de visites
sent by Émile Zola in 1898. Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Alexandrine Zola, Fernand Xau,
Alfred Bruneau, Fernand Labori and Jeanne Rozerot. The contents of the letters are both personal and
professional, and span Zola’s involvement in the Dreyfus Affair starting with his article J’Accuse in January of
1898 through his trial and conviction in February and the first half of his exile. These files also include a
touching letter to Jeanne Rozerot, explaining that he must leave for England because of the turn the trial had
taken, dated July 18, 1898 (in File #148). There is a noticeable increase in the number of personal letters
written to family members in these files, due to Zola’s exile (largely Alexandrine Zola, Jeanne Rozerot, Denise
Rozerot and the Laborde family members).

Files: 151-155

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence and typed/handwritten transcriptions sent
by Émile Zola in 1899. Recurring correspondents include Fernand Labori, Denise Rozerot, Alfred Bruneau,
Fernand Desmoulin, Ernest Vizetelly and Joseph Reinach. The content of these files include letters sent to
Alfred Dreyfus upon his return to France, expressing his admiration and support (the first of many, dated July
6, 1899, in File #153), as well as a letter to Alexandrine expressing his displeasure with the ambiguous end to
the Dreyfus Affair (where all pending cases received amnesty – letter dated October 31, 1899, in File #154).
The first half of these files contain mainly personal correspondence to family, however after July (when Émile
Zola returns to France), the letters are mostly concerned with professional and business matters, focusing on
the publication and translation of Fécondité.

Files: 156-162

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence and typed/handwritten transcriptions sent
by Émile Zola between January of 1900 and June of 1901. Recurring correspondents include Fernand Labori,
Denise Rozerot, Alfred Bruneau, Fernand Desmoulin, Ernest Vizetelly and Joseph Reinach. Zola kept in close
contact with many of the figures involved in the Dreyfus Affair (as can be seen in the number of letters sent to
Fernand Labori, Alfred Dreyfus and others); however, a large portion of his correspondence is focused on
business after 1900. Most of the letters focus on Travail, however there are numerous references to articles and
critiques being written by Zola at this time

Files: 163-172

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence and typed/handwritten transcriptions sent
by Émile Zola between July of 1901 and September of 1902. Recurring correspondents include Fernand
Labori, Denise Rozerot, Alfred Bruneau, Fernand Desmoulin, Ernest Vizetelly and Joseph Reinach. The
letters included in these files focus on Zola’s works (the development of Vérité, which would be published
posthumously, as well as various articles for journals). These files also include undated letters #1-165 retained
by the Zola Research Program (most of which were not included in the volumes). These letters are heavily
annotated and demonstrate the process of cross-referencing and researching that the Zola Research Program
staff undertook in their attempt to date the letters.

Files: 173-178

These files consist of undated letters sent by Émile Zola, most of which have not been published in the
volumes. The first half of the files contains the letters that have been arranged by the number given to them by
the Zola Research Program (#166 onwards). The second half of the files contains the same letters but
arranged alphabetically according to addressee. These undated letters are interesting because the annotations
document the process that the Zola Research Program underwent in attempting to date the letters (crossreferencing
with other letters that refer to a particular event, Zola’s location from which he wrote, tracking
references in the Letters by Contemporaries, etc).

Files: 179-192

These files consist of a variety of photocopies of letters written by Zola, as well as published catalogs
advertising letters written by Zola, with dates from 1843 through to 1902. The first half of the files contain
letters that were obtained from smaller collections (outside of the big collections such as Le Blond-Zola or
Bibliothèque Nationale), and have not consistently been filed with the general files in this series. Most of the
files in this half are accompanied by a typed inventory at the front of the file. Some of the main
correspondents in these files include Henry Céard, Ely Halpérine-Kaminsky, Ernest Vizetelly, the Laborde
family and Jacques van Santen Kolff. The second half of these files contain typed transcriptions of letters,
photocopies of handwritten letters and catalogs advertising letters that were either obtained from the Pierpont
Morgan Library or were included in the Supplement volume of the Émile Zola Correspondance series. These
letters have also not been consistently filed within the general files of the series.

Files: 193-205

These files consist of photocopies of correspondence written by Émile Zola between 1858 and 1902. These
files are photocopies of letters published in 2010 through the University of Montreal Press by Dorothy Speirs
and Owen Morgan. This publication was not within the scope of the original Zola Research Program project,
but it is titled as the eleventh book in the Émile Zola Correspondance series. For the most part, the
correspondence is composed of typed transcriptions of the letters, some of which are accompanied by
photocopies of the handwritten version. Some of the source information has likewise been documented, either
through annotation at the bottom of the transcription or by stapling a copy of the catalog to the transcription.
Each year is accompanied by a typed inventory – although this inventory does not correspond directly with the
letters in the file (sometimes there are letters listed in the inventory but not included in the file). Markings on
the transcriptions indicate that Speirs and Morgan were attempting to remove any letters that had already been
published in the Emile Zola Correspondance series (as seen on a letter that has been crossed out with the markings
"tome VIII, lettre 180"), implying that the letters in these files cannot be found anywhere else in this fonds.

Files: 30-44

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters and typed/handwritten transcriptions of letters
written by Émile Zola between January of 1871 and December of 1877. The letters contained within are both
personal and professional: Zola writes to childhood friends (Marius Roux, Paul Cézanne and Jean-Baptistin
Baille) regarding his career and life in Paris. Additionally, there are various letters sent to friends, editors and
reviewers regarding the first few novels in the Rougon-Macquart series including La Fortune des Rougon, La
Curée, Le Ventre de Paris and L’Assommoir. Recurring correspondents include Georges Charpentier, Philippe
Solari, Paul Cézanne, Edmond de Goncourt, Géry Legrand, Marius Roux and Antony Valabrègue.

Files: 45-54

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters as well as handwritten and typed transcriptions of
letters sent by Émile Zola to various correspondents between January of 1878 and December of 1879.
Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Gustave Flaubert, Ivan Tourgueniev,
Philippe Solari and Numa Coste. The contents of the letters are both personal and professional. Contained
with these files are discussions of Zola’s works including L’Attaque du Moulin, Une Page d’amour and early
discussions on Nana.

Files: 55-69

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters as well as handwritten and typed transcriptions of
letters sent by Émile Zola to various correspondents between January of 1880 and December of 1882.
Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Gustave Flaubert, Ivan Tourgueniev,
Philippe Solari and Numa Coste. Included in these files are discussions of Zola’s works Nana and Pot-Bouille.
As well, the letters discuss the death of both Gustave Flaubert (as seen in a letter to Céard, dated May 9, 1880,
in File #56) and Émilie Zola, Émile Zola’s mother (as seen in a letter to Zola’s uncle, Jules Aubert, dated
October 18, 1880, in File #58).

Files: 70-79

These files consist of photocopies of letters, postcards and cartes de visites and typed/handwritten
transcriptions of correspondence sent by Émile Zola between January of 1883 and December of 1884.
Recurring correspondents include Antoine Guillemet, Alphonse Daudet, Ernst Kiegler, Henry Céard,
Edmond de Goncourt, Georges Charpentier, Jacques van Santen Kolff and various family members (Amélie
Laborde, Lina Laborde, etc.). The contents of the box are both personal and professional in nature; there is
repeated discussion of lunches and dinners at the various houses of friends, as well as discussion of the
publication and translation of the following works: Pot-Bouille, Au Bonheur des Dames and La Joie de Vivre.

Files: 80-89

These files consist of photocopies of letters, postcards and cartes de visites and typed/handwritten
transcriptions of correspondence sent by Émile Zola between January of 1885 and December of 1886.
Recurring correspondents include Antoine Guillemet, Alphonse Daudet, Ernst Kiegler, Henry Céard,
Edmond de Goncourt, Georges Charpentier, Jacques van Santen Kolff and various family members (Amélie
Laborde, Lina Laborde, etc.). The contents of the box are both personal and professional in nature as can be
seen through the various social gatherings mentioned in the letters, as well as professional discussion of the
publication and translation of the following works: La Joie de Vivre, Germinal, L'Œuvre and early talks about La
Terre.

Files: 90-97

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence (letters, postcards, cartes de visites and
telegrams) as well as typed/handwritten transcriptions of letters sent by Émile Zola between January of 1887
and June of 1888. Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Jacques van Santen Kolff,
Numa Coste, Edmond de Goncourt, Gabriel Thyébaut and Alfred Bruneau. The letters pertain to both
personal and professional matters, or sometimes both, as seen in the case where Zola sent most of his close
friends (The Charpentiers, Céard, Hennique, Guillemot, de Goncourt, etc.) a letter indicating his displeasure
with the Théâtre du Châtelet because they were playing an unauthorized version of Germinal. Zola refused to
attend himself and encouraged his friends to also boycott the show (letters dated April 21, 1888, in File #97).
Other works discussed in these files include La Terre and Le Rêve.

Files: 98-110

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence (letters, postcards, cartes de visites and
telegrams) as well as typed/handwritten transcriptions of letters sent by Émile Zola between July of 1888 and
December of 1890. Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Jacques van Santen
Kolff, Numa Coste, Edmond de Goncourt, Gabriel Thyébaut and Alfred Bruneau. The letters pertain to both
personal and professional matters. Works discussed in these files include Le Rêve and La Bête humaine. This
period also spans the birth of Zola’s daughter, Denise, as can be seen in Zola’s letters to Henry Céard and Dr.
Delineau, requesting both their discretion during Denise’s birth as well as their signatures on her birth
certificate afterwards (letters dated September 22, 1889, in File #103). File #107 consists of an original letter
by Émile Zola, dated June 22, 1890; it has been encased in glass and is accompanied by a photocopy of the
letter (in Italian) that prompted the response. This letter was originally filed in the Documents by Zola subseries
(previously in Box 56), however it was moved as it was seen to be better suited in this series.

Files: 111-118

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten correspondence (letters, postcards, cartes de visites and
telegrams) as well as typed/handwritten sent by Émile Zola between January of 1891 and September of 1892.
Recurring correspondents include Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Jacques van Santen Kolff, Numa Coste,
Edmond de Goncourt, Gabriel Thyébaut and Alfred Bruneau. The letters pertain to both personal and
professional matters. Works discussed in these files include La Bête humaine, L’Argent and La Débâcle. This
period also includes the birth of Zola’s son, Jacques, as can be seen in Zola’s letter to Henry Céard explaining
that he would be away during Jacque’s birth and thus requests that Céard be present at his birth, name his son
and then place an ad in the newspaper to update Zola (letter dated September 8, 1891, in File #113). As well,
Zola’s language with various doctors and Céard implies a need for discretion and secrecy up until 1891, when
Alexandrine Zola finds out about Jeanne Rozerot and the children (as seen in letters to Céard and Jeanne
Rozerot, dated 10 November, 1891, in File #114).

Files: 206-212

These files consist of letters sent to Zola between the years of 1858 to 1870, which represent Zola youth, his
relocation to Paris and the beginning of his writing career. Most of the letters contained in these files are typed
transcriptions (both on typewriter and computer printout). The typewriter copies are generally rough drafts of
the letters, where the Zola Research Program is editing the letters and attempting to establish dates and facts,
whereas the computer printouts represent the clean, final copy of the letter (the two copies are stapled
together). The early years in these files are dominated with letters by Paul Cézanne, Octave Lacroix, and
Aurélieu Houchard - most of which discuss everyday activities of the correspondents (some poems included),
as well as more professional correspondence once Zola begins work at Hachette Publishing in 1862. In 1864
and 1865, the letters express both support and criticism for the early published works by Zola, Contes à Ninon
and La Confession de Claude. Édouard Manet, Marius Roux and Antoine Guillemet become regular
correspondents from 1866 onwards (the letters by Roux and Manet are generally photocopies of handwritten
texts). The first letter from Alexandrine Zola, Émile Zola’s wife, appears on December 14, 1870 (in File

212), which is accompanied by various letters by Zola’s mother Émilie Zola. As well, a highlight of these files

is the letters from Zola’s editor, Lacroix and Verboeckhoven, discussing the publishing and printing to Zola’s
first major novel, Thérèse Raquin, in 1867.

Files: 368-372

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between November of 1897 and January 16, 1898. The letters in these files all pertain to
the Dreyfus Affair, with the early files focusing on the lead-up to Zola’s direct involvement in the Affair. The
later files mostly focus on Zola’s public letter to the President of the Republic, J’Accuse, printed in the
newspaper L’Aurore on January 13, 1898. Some of the letters refer to the Dreyfus Affair through general
discussion of events; however, most demonstrate a clear support or criticism of Zola’s involvement.

Files: 413-417

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letter, postcards, cartes de visites telegrams and
some photocopies of newspaper clippings of undated items from the 1991 accession of Dreyfus Affair
records. The last file in this box (File #417) also contains miscellaneous items from the Dreyfus Affair subseries.

Files: 373-377

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between January 17 and February 3, 1898. Most of the letters in these files discuss Zola’s
letter J’Accuse and indicate either support or criticism for his political alignments. Included in these files are multiples Letters of Contemporaries addressed to Alexandrine Zola, but they are likely included because they
discuss either the state of France during the Dreyfus Affair or Émile Zola’s involvement.

Files: 378-383

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between February 4 and 18, 1898. The contents of these files are primarily concerned with
the trial of Émile Zola (particularly between February 7 and 18), with correspondents expressing support or
criticism for Zola’s involvement in the Affair

Files: 384-387

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between February 19 and 28, 1898. The contents of these files are primarily concerned with
the trial of Émile Zola, with correspondents expressing support or criticism for Zola’s involvement in the
Affair and the conviction outcome of the trial.

Files: 388-390

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between March and June of 1898. The contents of these files are primarily concerned with
the outcome of the trial of Zola as well as the beginning discussion of Zola’s exile, with correspondents
expressing support or criticism for Zola’s involvement in the Affair

Files: 391-394

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between July of 1898 and September of 1902. The contents of these files are primarily
concerned with providing support to Zola while he is in exile as well as celebrating the reopening of the case in
June 1899 and Zola’s subsequent return to France.

Files: 395-400

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites, telegrams and
some photocopies of newspaper clippings spanning the early months of Émile Zola’s participation in the
Dreyfus Affair (beginning in January 1897 through to February 7, 1898), including the period in which J’Accuse
was published. These files were obtained from a distinct accession of Dreyfus Affair material from July and
August of 1991.

Files: 401-405

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letter, postcards, cartes de visites, telegrams and
some photocopies of newspaper clippings sent to Émile Zola between February 8 and March 31, 1898. This
period spans the trial of Zola as well as the interim period after his conviction, but before his exile. These files
were obtained from a distinct accession of Dreyfus Affair material from July and August of 1991.

Files: 406-412

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letter, postcards, cartes de visites, telegrams and
some photocopies of newspaper clippings sent to Émile Zola in April of 1898 through to December of 1899.
The period largely consists of Zola’s exile to England and his subsequent return to France in 1899. These files
were obtained from a distinct accession of Dreyfus Affair material from July and August of 1991.

Files: 268-274

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters, postcards, telegrams, cartes de visites and
handwritten and typed transcriptions of correspondence to Émile Zola written between January of 1895 and
March of 1896. Frequent correspondents include Ernest Vizetelly, Eugène Fasquelle, Fernand Xau, Alfred
Bruneau, Guiseppe Giacosa and various family members (including his cousin Carlo Zola and his niece Elina
“Lili” Laborde). Most of the contents of the letters are concerned with the publication and subsequent
translations of Zola’s Rome, including a number of Letters of Contemporaries discussing the translation of
Rome in the United States. This increase in both the popularity and intellectual presence of Zola in the U.S. is
evidenced in the number of American correspondents and the photocopies of newspaper and journal articles
attached that discuss Zola’s works. As with some of the other files in this series, on some letters, Zola has
written brief notes to himself about responding to the letters (as can be seen on a letter from Ernest Vizetelly,
dated May 25, 1895, in File #268).

Files: 275-279

These files consist of photocopies of correspondence sent to Émile Zola during the months of April of 1896
through to December of 1896. This correspondence is composed of photocopies of handwritten letters,
postcards, telegrams and cartes de visites, as well as typed and handwritten transcriptions of correspondence.
For the most part, the contents of the correspondence includes letters thanking Zola for sending copies of his
book Rome to various friends and colleagues, as well as anticipation for his upcoming book Paris. As well, these files contain interesting correspondence regarding an article published in the journal Le Figaro in which Zola
demonstrates support for the French Jewish population. Much of the correspondence from File #276 (May of
1896) is concerned with praise for this article, including a letter from Art Dreyfus of the Société Dreyfus.
Recurring correspondents in these files include Jules Claretie, Antoine Guillemet, the Charpentier family and
Ernest Vizetelly. There are also a number of letters between Alexandrine Zola and various family members
(including Amélie, Elina and Albert Laborde). File #277 contains a photocopy of a telegram dated 16 July
1896 from Eugène Fasquelle informing Zola of Edmond de Goncourt’s death

Files: 280-285

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams as well as
typed and handwritten transcriptions of letters sent to Émile Zola from January of 1897 to January of 1898.
The contents of these files are divided between discussion around Rome and Paris, and rumblings about Zola’s
increasing involvement in the Dreyfus Affair, culminating with the publication of J’Accuse on January 13, 1898.
As a result, the later files of 1897 contain letters from various newspapers and journals (both in Europe and
the United States) requesting Zola’s opinion on the current social and political situation in France (the Dreyfus
Affair was becoming a massive issue), some of which directly mention the Dreyfus Affair. Additionally, these
files also contain correspondence from the first two weeks after Zola published J’Accuse. As well, the final file
of 1897 (File #283) contains correspondence that discusses the death of Alphonse Daudet. There are a large
number of Letters of Contemporaries in these files, both professional (sent from Ernest Vizetelly) and
personal (sent from Alexandrine Zola), which have presumably been placed here because the contents pertain
directly to Zola’s affairs.

Files: 286-291

These files consist of correspondence sent to Émile Zola between February and May of 1898. Files are
divided in half months due to the large number of correspondence sent during this period. This time period
marks Zola’s political alignment with Alfred Dreyfus throughout the Dreyfus Affair; the correspondence
within reflects this increase in political publicity. For the most part, these files consist of photocopies of
handwritten letters and telegrams sent to Zola, although there are also some postcards and cartes de visites, as
well as handwritten and typed transcriptions of correspondence. Some correspondence discusses Zola’s works,
mostly Paris, but also his future endeavors (as evidenced in letters from publishers across Europe and
America). Later in February and March, there are quite a few letters expressing both support and condolence
for Zola regarding the negative verdict in his trial. As well, there is an increase in the number of Letters of
Contemporaries included here, as more people write to Alexandrine Zola about her husband. These files also
contain the first instance of correspondence (that is included in this collection) from the Dreyfus family (dated
February 24, 1898, in File #287).

Files: 292-299

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters, postcards, telegrams as well as some handwritten
transcriptions of letters sent to Émile Zola between June and December of 1898. Most of the earlier letters
dated between July and September discuss Zola’s choice to flee to England to avoid jail time in France. File

293 contains the first piece of mail in this collection from Jeanne Rozerot (Émile Zola’s mistress) – a

telegram sent from Rozerot to Ernest Vizetelly telling him that everything is okay at home, dated July 22, 1898.
There is a big increase in the number of personal correspondence sent to Zola throughout August and
September, by both Alexandrine Zola and the family Laborde (Amélie, Elina and Albert). Alexandrine Zola
writes to Émile Zola almost every other day (although she signs off as Caroline and addresses the letters to "Loulou," her nickname for Zola). This could be because she expresses concerns that her mail is being opened
by “secret police” in a letter to Mme Bruneau.

Files: 300-304

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites and telegrams
sent to Émile Zola between January and September 1899. This period marks Zola’s exile in England and the
correspondence likewise reflects this, as can be seen by the number of telegrams and letters sent from close
family friends assuring Émile Zola that all is well with his family back at home. As well, there is an increase in
the number of Letters of Contemporaries in these files for two reasons: much of Émile Zola’s business was
being conducted through either Ernest Vizetelly or Alexandrine Zola, and people who did not know how to
contact Zola directly would send mail to Alexandrine and ask her to forward it through to Zola. Starting in
June of 1899, most of the correspondence is addressed directly to Émile Zola because he returned to France at
this time. Most of the correspondence discusses either potential literary or dramatic representations of the
Dreyfus Affair, or they congratulate Zola on his return to France. Recurring correspondents include
Alexandrine Zola (sometimes signing as Caroline), Ernest Vizetelly, Antoine Guillemet, the Laborde family
and Fernand Labori (Zola’s defense lawyer). These files also encompass the period of the publication of
Fécondité, which is indicated through the requests for translation rights, requests for information on release
dates and discussion between Vizetelly and Brett of Macmillan Co. regarding the American rights to the book.

Files: 305 – 310

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten letters, postcards, cartes de visites, telegrams, newspaper
clippings and handwritten transcriptions of letters sent to Émile Zola between October 1899 and December 1900. The earlier correspondence is largely composed of either discussion around the Dreyfus Affair (the retrial
of Alfred Dreyfus at Rennes, his reconviction and subsequent pardon) or praise for Zola’s Fécondité. A
large portion of these files are correspondence between Ernest Vizetelly, Zola, Macmillan & Co.
representatives and Chatto & Windus regarding Vizetelly’s difficulties in translating Fécondité into a book that
would be deemed both legal and appropriate for the English-speaking audiences in England and the United
States. The later files begin to discuss Zola’s rough draft of Travail (the next novel in his Quatres Évangiles
series), as well as translations and rights of distribution.

Files: 311-318

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, postcards, cartes de visites, telegrams and
typed and handwritten transcriptions of letters sent to Émile Zola between November of 1900 and December
of 1901. Recurring correspondents throughout these files include Alexandrine Zola, Ernest Vizetelly, Chatto
& Windus Publishers, the Loiseau family (Elina, née Laborde, and her husband Georges) and Antoine
Guillemet. For the most part, the correspondence within discusses both personal and professional matters,
including the death of Paul Alexis in July of 1901, as well as praise and requests for rights for Travail. Multiple
close family friends also comment on Zola’s hobby for photography. File #318 also contains the first
communication (in this series) between Alexandrine Zola and Denise Rozerot (Émile Zola’s daughter with
Jeanne Rozerot) in a postcard dated February 7, 1902.

Files: 319-329

These files consist of photocopies of handwritten and typed letters, cartes de visites, telegrams, handwritten
and typed transcriptions of letters and photocopies of postcards sent to Émile Zola from March of 1902 until
his death in September of 1902. The earlier files consist of correspondence sent to Zola concerning business
matters around the publication and translation of Vérité, as well as multiple requests for advice or critique on
works sent to Zola from various aspiring authors. File #321 consists of correspondence sent to Alexandrine
Zola about Émile Zola written after 1902 by various correspondents expressing their condolences on Zola’s
death, discussing business matters (with Ernest Vizetelly mostly), expressing congratulations for Alfred
Dreyfus’ exoneration in 1906, and discussing the transfer of Zola’s ashes to the Panthéon in 1908. A number
of these files are comprised of letters that are undated and thus organized alphabetically, as well as unsigned or
illegibly signed. Most of these undated correspondences have been included here because the letters
themselves were undated, they are missing the first page or they are cartes de visites (which are often not
precisely dated).

Files: 330-362

These files consist of typed and handwritten transcriptions of letters, photocopies of handwritten letters, cartes
de visites and photocopies of some published items (from catalogs like Lettres & Manuscrits Autographes and
Hôtel Drouot) sent to Émile Zola, with dates spanning the 1860s through to 1902. The files within are
organized alphabetically, with recurring correspondents possessing their own files. The original box label
stated that these letters were obtained from “Other Collections,” which refers to smaller collections like
Collection Mitterand and Collection Labodens, as well as from catalogs.

Files: 213-222

These files consist of photocopies of letters sent to Zola between January of 1871 and December of 1879.
These files are primarily composed of photocopies of handwritten letters, although there are a few typed
transcriptions of the letters as well. These files follow the increased popularity and success of Zola’s writing
with the release of L’Assommoir and the creation of a theatre production of Thérèse Raquin, which is likewise
reflected in the increase of fan mail in the later years. The contents of letters between Numa Coste, Louis
Marguery and Georges Charpentier (Zola’s editor) indicate that Zola is becoming increasingly involved in the
social world of literary authors (with names like Henry Céard, Léon Hennique, Guy de Maupassant, Joris-Karl
Huysmans and Louis Edmond Duranty appearing in the contents of the correspondence). Similarly, there is a
clear globalization of Zola’s works as Zola receives correspondence from the United States (discussing
translations) and Georges Charpentier discusses potential German translations.

Files: 363-367

These files consist of typed and handwritten transcriptions of letters, photocopies of handwritten letters, cartes
de visites and photocopies of some published items (from catalogs like Lettres & Manuscrits Autographes and
Hôtel Drouot) sent to Émile Zola, with dates spanning the 1860s through to 1902. The files within are
organized alphabetically, with recurring correspondents possessing their own files. The original box label
stated that these letters were obtained from “Other Collections,” which refers to smaller collections like
Collection Mitterand and Collection Labodens, as well as from catalogs.

Files: 223-228

Files consist of photocopies handwritten letters, telegrams and cartes de visites written to Zola between the
years of January of 1880 and December of 1882. These letters are comprised of both personal correspondence
(letters from Zola’s godson, Paul Charpentier) and professional correspondence (people requesting
authorization to write various translations of Zola’s works). It is interesting to follow the progression of some
of Zola’s works throughout the time period in these letters (for example, Céard writing to Zola on January 13,
1880 about the editing on an upcoming compilation book titled Les Soirées à Médan between Zola, Henry
Céard, Léon Hennique, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Paul Alexis and Guy de Maupassant and then the incoming
letters from fans once the book is released in April of 1880). These files contain numerous fan mail letters
regarding various articles written in journals and books published during this period (including Pot-Bouille), as
well as requests from editors to write in their journals.

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