On Tuesday, January 14, the Municipality of Monaco celebrated an extraordinary addition to its cultural heritage. Mayor Georges Marsan, accompanied by his Deputy Camille Svara, Secretary General Isabelle Costa, and other officials, welcomed Robert Fillon, former Ambassador and President of the Committee for Albert I Centenary Commemorations. Fillon officially presented a donation of 614 books from his private collection to the Heritage Fund of the Monaco Media Library.
Fillon expressed his appreciation for public service, stating, “Public service is about serving the people, which the Municipality exemplifies. I am honoured to entrust part of my collection to this esteemed institution.”
The donation spans six centuries, from the 15th to the 20th, providing a fascinating insight into the evolution of literature and thought. The centrepiece of the collection is a 1478 parchment-printed edition of Mammotrectus super Bibliam, a rare incunable and the library’s first. This volume, printed just 25 years after the invention of the printing press, stands as a milestone of early typography. Another treasure is an 18th-century original edition of Diderot and D’Alembert’s Encyclopédie, preserved in its original binding, symbolising the Enlightenment’s pursuit of knowledge.
Mayor Marsan highlighted the importance of this gesture, especially in the year of the Media Library’s reopening at Îlot Pasteur. This exceptional donation enhances Monaco’s literary heritage and reaffirms its dedication to preserving and sharing historical treasures with the public.
