Écrire le temps de l'Antiquité à nos jours

Since ancient times, writers and artists have been fascinated by the fundamental question of time, exploring it through the power of mythological figures (Cronus, Saturn, the Fates). Once measured by the shadow of a sundial, then by the ingenuity of astronomical clocks, delicate wristwatches and familiar alarm clocks, time has inspired a multitude of creations, each pulsing to the rhythm of the ticking of existence.

This book analyses the chromatic symphonies of the seasons, the evolution of civilisations – from golden age to decline – and contemplates the stages of life, from its brevity to the celebration of old age. Questioning the whims of chance, fate and fortune, it also highlights the ambivalence of time, which it reveals, ravages or repairs. Finally, it will be time to reflect on the end of time, eternity and the infinite: does time truly exist?

An eternal muse for artists and writers, time has inspired countless works, each seeking to capture and glorify it. This illustrated anthology, bringing together more than 150 authors and 200 text excerpts ranging from Genesis to Friedrich Nietzsche, Paul Valéry, William Faulkner, Milan Kundera, Annie Ernaux and even Stephen Hawking, invites us to a brief moment suspended in time, to seize the day without worrying about tomorrow whilst letting ourselves be carried away by the flow of time.