Friday, May 15, 2009

I See Wonderful Things

Last week I went to the Bodmer Museum. It's not a very well-known museum, nor is it very large. You can go through the whole place, at a fairly leisurely rate, in about two hours. But, oh, what a place. Not many people visit this little Geneva gem.

This was my second visit, and this time too I felt like Howard Carter peering into that small opening in Egypt. I too feel like saying simply, almost childishly, "I see wonderful things." For I know that I will forever think of that marvellous mansion with its magnificient view of Lac Leman, only to be transported into the wonderful things housed within it.

But these are not treasures made up of gold and jewels. These are the treasures of mankind, of humanity, of that which is the best of us, whether it be science, art, literature or the leaps of imagination that typify human progress. Bodmer (it helps to be born a multi-millionaire if you too decide to do this) had a dream, to collect together the creativity and wealth born out of the human mind, the collective human consciousness. So he did. He collected amazing things. And after his death, his foundation (the Fondation Bodmer) continues to keep his dream alive, to keep his quest an ongoing one.

This is just a glimpse of what you can see if you visit this museum: Two scrolls of the Egyptian Books of the Dead, a Gutenberg Bible (one of only fourteen or so in the world), the Book of Judas from the Dead Sea Scrolls, hand-written music sheets by Wagner and Mozart, hand-written manuscripts by James Joyce and Wordsworth, a giant scroll (many feet long) from the court of Queen Elizabeth I itemizing the New Years gifts received by her court. There are innumberable first editions (Balzac, Wordsworth, Joseph Heller, Joyce, Proust, Dante, etc. etc.). There are hand-written notebooks and books (with margin notes) by Isaac Newton and Einstein.

I saw some people taking pictures but I am not sure they were allowed. Still, my resolve was tested, when I came across one particular first edition. So they have the Books of the Dead, or the Kalpa Sutra, or a Botticelli painting of Dante. They pale in comparision to my George....aaah, yes Byron's Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. So I broke all my museum going rules. But, hey unlike others I used no flash, and damn it, the picture's not that great. Here it is.




Next time you're in Geneva, you must visit this wonderful little museum. You might not sigh over Byron but I promise you will leave at once humbled and hopeful about the future of humanity.

7 comments:

Sujatha Bagal said...

Wow! Thanks for posting about this.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Next time? How about a first time? I had to skip Switzerland when the Italian trains went on strike. Ended up in Nice, which wasn't such a bad deal. But so disappointed not to have seen the lovely land where you reside.

The museum sounds fabulous. And I think I would have taken more than one photo. You're much better than me.

Jawahara said...

Hey mid-life, you should come to Switzerland. It is rather magical. Nice is fabulous....but aaah Switzerland. You really missed out. Next time, then, huh?

Sujatha Bagal said...

OK, so you write about Switzerland where Julie was headed but she ends up on the pebbly beach in Nice which I wrote about. A weird set of dots, but all nicely connected.

But what matters is that I really, really want to go to Switzerland. :) And whenever that will be, I hope you'll be there Jawahara!

Esther said...

I should really email them a copy of my novel. I think it would be a great addition to the collection.

Melissa Miller said...

You rebel!

Jawahara said...

Sher, I did see a nice empty spot for your novel, right in between a Wagner score and a first edition Ulysses. :-)

MM, what can I say?

Sujatha, I read your Nice piece, and it was lovely. And yes, whenever you visit, we must meet.