Main content
François Wahl Collection on Severo Sarduy
Notifications
Held at: Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division [Contact Us]
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Princeton University Library: Manuscripts Division. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
François Wahl (1925-2014) was a French editor and structuralist. From 1957 until 1990, Wahl was an editor at Éditions du Seuil, a French publishing house based in Paris, where he edited the work of Jacques Lacan, Jacques Derrida, Paul Ricoeur, Roland Barthes, Philippe Sollers, Alain Badiou, Jean-Claude Milner, and Italo Calvino, among others. Trained as a philosopher, Wahl was also involved with the publication of Tel Quel, an influential journal exploring critical theory and semiotics, on which he collaborated with Roland Barthes and Severo Sarduy. François Wahl and Severo Sarduy were partners until the latter's death in 1993.
The collection consists of a group of essays, poems, and translations by Cuban writer Severo Sarduy (1937-1993), along with interviews and writings about Sarduy and correspondence to Sarduy and his partner, the French editor François Wahl (1925-2014). Sarduy was a was a major Cuban poet, author, playwright, painter, and critic of Cuban literature and art. Born in the Cuban city of Camagüey, Sarduy lived in Paris from 1960 until his death in 1993, where he connected with a group of prominent French intellectuals, including François Wahl and Roland Barthes through their collaboration on the journal Tel Quel. The materials in this collection were collected by François Wahl, Sarduy's long-time partner and collaborator.
The collection contains edited typescripts and copies of Sarduy's writings in Spanish and French, including essays, poems, interviews, and translations, along with notes, clippings, sound recordings, photographs, photographic slides, and other miscellaneous printed material. Also present are 374 postcards sent to Sarduy and Wahl in the 1960s and 1970s, as well as additional correspondence of Wahl, primarily regarding Sarduy and his legacy. Wahl's correspondence also comprises some press clippings, photographs, and correspondence regarding his own work. Correspondents include Alain Badiou, Jacques Lacan, Roland Barthes, Tzvetan Todorov, Octavio Paz, Manuel Puig, Elie Wiesel, and others.
Sarduy's writings (AM 2014-68) and a group of condolence letters (AM 2014-84) were gifts of François Wahl in 2014. Postcards were purchased from the Wahl family in 2015 (AM 2015-56).
This collection was purchased (in part) with funds provided by the Program in Latin American Studies (PLAS).
For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.
This collection was processed by Kelly Bolding in April 2015, with assistance from Fiona Bell '18. Finding aid written by Kelly Bolding in April 2015. Additional materials were added by Elvia Arroyo-Ramirez in November 2016 and September 2017.
Audiovisual materials from this collection were digitized in 2017.
Nothing was removed during 2015 processing.
People
Subject
- Authors, Cuban. -- 20th century -- Correspondence
- Cuban literature. -- 20th century
- Editors -- France. -- 20th century -- Correspondence
- Gay men's writings, Cuban. -- 20th century
- Latin American literature. -- 20th century
- Painters -- Cuba. -- 20th century -- Correspondence
- Structuralism (Literary analysis) -- France. -- 20th century
Occupation
- Publisher
- Manuscripts Division
- Finding Aid Author
- Kelly Bolding
- Finding Aid Date
- 2017
- Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research.
Audiovisual Materials (Reading Room Access Only): Digital access copies are accessible on a computer in RBSC's reading room.
- Use Restrictions
-
Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.
Collection Inventory
Original order was maintained. Additional acquisitions were added at the end.
This series comprises a group of Severo Sarduy's writings from the 1960s through the early 1990s, including his edited typescripts and copies of various essays, poems and translations, interviews, and writings by others about him. Materials are largely grouped by topic, and original folder titles were maintained. A significant portion of these materials consist of Sarduy's writings about painting and art. Many also date to Sarduy's later years, during the period when he was an editor for Éditions Gallimard, where he published and promoted the work of many other Spanish and Latin American authors.
Physical Description3 boxes
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes original contracts of Sarduy's writing with various literary agents such as Agencia Literaria Carmen Balcells, Éditions du Seuil, Difusora Internacional, Ediciones del Mall, and others.
Physical Description1 folder
This series is arranged into two file groups, one for Severo Sarduy's correspondence and one for François Wahl's correspondence.
Correspondence includes postcards from the 1960s and 1970s, primarily written to Severo Sarduy and François Wahl by various friends and collaborators around the world, along with some additional later letters, including from Elie Wiesel and Alain Badiou, to François Wahl regarding his book Le Perçu, which was controversially rejected by Éditions du Seuil for its 800-page length. Postcards are mostly personal in nature and include several postcards from Roland Barthes, Jacques Lacan, Octavio Paz, Alain Badiou, Manuel Puig, Edgardo Cozarinsky, Reinaldo Arenas, Tzvetan Todorov, Michel Butor, Jorge Camacho, Néstor Almendros, and other significant writers, artists, and philosophers in Latin America and Europe. Other correspondence includes condolence letters sent to Wahl after the death of Sarduy, as well as some press clippings about Wahl's own writings and a few photographs. Researchers should note that several additional folders of Wahl's correspondence regarding the work of Sarduy, which were originally interfiled among Sarduy's writings, can be found in Series 1.
Physical Description4 boxes
Sarduy's correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender, with general categories at the end.
This file group contains postcards and letters written to Severo Sarduy in the 1960s and 1970s.
Physical Description3 boxes
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Signed "Sally."
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
2 folders
Wahl's correspondence is arranged alphabetically by sender, with general categories at the end.
This file group contains postcards and other correspondence, largely written to François Wahl, including condolence letters upon the death of Severo Sarduy, correspondence regarding Wahl's publications, clippings, and a few photographs.
Physical Description2 boxes
Correspondence between Al Kindy and Wahl or correspondence about Al Kindy from Wahl.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes Wahl's correspondence regarding Sarduy's archives.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes Wahl's correspondence regarding Sarduy's paintings.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes Wahl's correspondence regarding journal publications of Sarduy's writings.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes Wahl's correspondence regarding Sarduy's paintings.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes Wahl's correspondence regarding Sarduy's archives.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Includes letters from Elie Wiesel and Alain Badiou, as well as some correspondence regarding the publication of Françoise Dolto's correspondence by Éditions Gallimard.
Physical Description1 folder
Includes a photograph of Sarduy's gravesite.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Alphabetically.
This series includes printed materials by Sarduy or about Sarduy. It also includes ephemeral materials like Sarduy's luggage tags and business cards.
Physical Description2 boxes
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Inscribed by the author to Sarduy: "Para el gran maestro SS, este libro que intentó seguirle los pasos desde ..." Includes original photograph of author.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
Homage to Sarduy.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
This series is arranged alphabetically and grouped by audiovisual format.
Includes audio or visual materials regarding artwork done by others, photographs, and audiocassettes. The bulk of this series features an extensive slide collection of Sarduy and Wahl's travels.
Physical Description14 boxes
Single file arrangement.
Features small works of art gifted to Sarduy from other artists.
Physical Description1 box
1 folder
Arranged by inventory number imposed by a team of researchers who created the "Slide Inventory" while material was unprocessed.
Includes Wahl and Sarduy's photographic slides and negatives from various travel destinations. Some are dated after Sarduy's death and might reflect Wahl's personal travels.
Physical Description10 boxes
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Also seems to contain Bali photos
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Original order, per film roll sleeves. Numbers were added to folders to help differentiate content per folder.
Includes negatives from various travels and portraits of Sarduy and Al Kindy.
Physical Description2 boxes
Some negatives poosibly of travel to Fes.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Alphabetically.
Includes personal and professional photographs of François Wahl and Severo Sarduy. Also includes photographs of friends, pets, and Wahl's home.
Physical Description1 box
1 folder
Includes photographs of unidenfied people and pets.
Physical Description1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
1 folder
Possibly Wahl as an infant.
Physical Description1 folder
Arranged according to original order.
Includes sound recordings from original audio cassettes that feature radio programming, interviews, and music collected by Sarduy and Wahl.
Physical Description4 boxes
1 folder
32101047383193_1_a.mp3
32101047383193_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382773_1_a.mp3
32101047382773_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; recording may be altered or inaudible.
Physical Description1 box
32101047382781_1_a.mp3
32101047382781_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382799_1_a.mp3
32101047382799_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382807_1_a.mp3
32101047382807_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382815_1_a.mp3
32101047382815_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382823_1_a.mp3
32101047382823_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382831_1_a.mp3
32101047382831_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382849_1_a.mp3
32101047382849_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; recording may be altered or inaudible.
Physical Description1 box
32101047382856_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047382864_1_a.mp3
32101047382864_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382872_1_a.mp3
32101047382872_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382880_1_a.mp3
32101047382880_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382898_1_a.mp3
32101047382898_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; written on interior of cassette label: Side A - Escritores y pensamientos Severo Sarduy Canal 5 25 agosto, 1982 11:45 Grabado: 20 oct. 81; Side B - Escritores y pensamientos Julieta Campos Tel. Nac. Canal 5 Miércoles 8 sept., 1982 11:00 Grabado 20 oct. 81 Hotel Avila
Physical Description1 box
32101047382906_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047382914_1_a.mp3
32101047382914_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382922_1_a.mp3
32101047382922_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382930_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047382948_1_a.mp3
32101047382948_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382955_1_a.mp3
32101047382955_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382963_1_a.mp3
32101047382963_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382971_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047382989_1_a.mp3
32101047382989_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047382997_1_a.mp3
32101047382997_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383003_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047383011_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047383029_1_a.mp3
32101047383029_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383037_1_a.mp3
32101047383037_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383045_1_a.mp3
32101047383045_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
1 audiocassette; asset is completely blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047383060_1_a.mp3
32101047383060_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383078_1_a.mp3
32101047383078_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383086_1_a.mp3
32101047383086_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
1 box
32101047383094_1_a.mp3
32101047383094_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383102_1_a.mp3
32101047383102_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383110_1_a.mp3
32101047383110_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383128_1_a.mp3
32101047383128_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383136_1_a.mp3
32101047383136_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383144_1_a.mp3
32101047383144_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383151_1_a.mp3
32101047383151_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383169_1_a.mp3
32101047383169_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box
32101047383177_1_a.mp3
1 audiocassette; side B is blank.
Physical Description1 box
32101047383185_1_a.mp3
32101047383185_2_a.mp3
1 audiocassette
Physical Description1 box