Was one of the great novels of the Enlightenment written by a man who thought he was a werewolf?

Structured like a Chinese box with narratives nested within narratives, 'The Manuscript Found in Saragossa' spans from the birth of Jesus Christ to the beginning of the 19th century, evoking places from the Mediterranean to the Philippines. Salman Rushdie once described it as redolent of 'the most brilliant modern novels, as if it were written yesterday'.

The exhibition, titled 'The Manuscript Found in Saragossa: An Investigation into a World Novel,' is held at the Fondation Jan Michalski in Montricher, Switzerland, near where Potocki was educated. The book was written in French by Potocki (1761-1815), born in the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth, with first fragments published in 1804 in St Petersburg.

Extraordinary Origins

Potocki's extraordinary life ended in 1815 when he shot himself at age 54. An inventory of his possessions revealed a silver sugar bowl with a missing lid, sparking theories that he filed down the lid's knob to cast the bullet that killed him, leading to outlandish claims that he believed he was a werewolf.

The novel's afterlife has been almost as remarkable as its creation. For years, it circulated in fragmentary versions. The widely read Penguin edition was based on René Radrizzani's 1990 French revision, but this was overturned in 2002 when Triaire discovered eight manuscripts miscataloged in Polish archives.

Enduring Influence

The novel has fervent admirers including Mathias Énard and Olga Tokarczuk, who called it part of her 'literary first-aid kit.' Its influence extends to visual artists, including a 1965 film adaptation by Polish director Wojciech Has, which gained a cult following inspiring restoration by Jerry Garcia, Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese.

The exhibition features excerpts from Has's film and a 1973 French television adaptation, along with 10 dreamlike engravings by Leonor Fini. Most recently, Grzegorz Jarzyna directed a theatrical adaptation at Warsaw's Teatr Polski, centering on a modern character drawn into 18th-century machinations.

Enlightenment Vision

Potocki's novel reflects his Enlightenment ideals, portraying a world without borders where everyone has a place. The Sierra Morena setting symbolizes this vision, as Alphonse encounters a stranger revived from near death and welcomed without question.

The novel's treatment of religions is notably modern, suggesting that Christianity, Islam and Judaism can coexist harmoniously. Throughout, Potocki celebrates reason while acknowledging its fragility, particularly in light of the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars.

Rosset notes the book's enduring appeal lies in how its many layers reveal themselves differently to successive generations. 'He wrote a book that is outside time, but that belongs to all times,' he says.