Workshop 'Balzac: Les Illusions Perdues & Splendeurs et Misères des Courtisanes'

Convened by Gaëtan Cliquennois (CNRS, IODE, Université de Rennes), Caroline Julliot (Université de Lyon), & Laurent Rousvoal (CNRS, IODE, Université de Rennes)

The workshop focuses on the law as depicted in a Balzac diptych: *Lost Illusions* and *The Splendors and Miseries of Courtesans*. The goal is to explore the law within these two novels-either in context or from a decidedly contemporary perspective-without attempting an exhaustive analysis, though the project's leadership team will ensure there are no significant blind spots. These topics vary in nature: a legal issue, a setting, a character, or a specific theme. While the project focuses on the two novels, it can naturally be approached from external perspectives, drawing on adaptations (such as Xavier Giannoli's 2021 film *Illusions perdues*). In this latter regard, the nature of Balzac's overarching project necessitates close attention to how the two novels fit into *La Comédie humaine*, tracing character arcs that extend beyond the scope of the specific narrative at hand.