Voltaire: writer living pre-Enlightenment

François Marie Arouet (1694-1778) was the son of a treas­ury of­ficial. In 1704, soon after his mother’s death, Arouet was sent to the Jesuit Collège Louis-le-Grand in Paris for 7 years. He wrote poetry and performed in plays in Latin and French and when Arouet left Coll­ège at 17, the lad wanted to become a writer. Having already planned a law career for his son, dad forced Francois to be a lawyer’s assistant for two years, but the lad devoted his en­ergy to writing satirical poetry instead. So his father sent him to the country with marquis de Saint-Ange Louis de Caumartin, writing history.

When King Louis XIV died in 1715, Arouet went home. The king’s reign had been miserable, so things HAD to change for the bett­er, and he was welcomed into Paris’ literary society. In the Duchess of Maine's circle, Arouet again contributed to a libellous satirical poem ridic­ul­ing the Prince Regent Orleans. And as a result he was again exiled from Paris in May 1716! Was the young man truly reckless? Or just naïve?

Some "unacceptable" quotes by other writers were falsely ascribed to him, making him look worse. So soon he was back in Par­is’ infamous Bast­il­le prison. Inside he worked on a new play and this tragedy Oedipe was his 1st theatrical success. It was also in this prison that he began The Henr­iade, an ep­ic poem about Henry IV, and he adopted penname Voltaire. Voltaire was gaoled for a year for satirising politics & religion in La Henriade. Released in 1718, Oedipe was successfully perf­orm­ed in Paris, running for 45 nights estab­lish­ing Vol­taire’s fame as a great playwright at 23 and making money! And securing him a regent’s pension. In 1725 he conflicted with a powerful young nobleman, Chev­al­ier de Roh­an, who insulted Voltaire. Soon after, the writer was called outside while dining with a Duke and was beaten by Rohan’s thugs. Voltaire soon chall­enged Rohan to a duel, but was arrested that day and was thrown into the Bastil­le, again! 

copy of the pastel portrait of Voltaire, 1735

originally painted by Maurice-Quentin de La Tour

meisterdrucke

Af­ter prison Voltaire chose exile in Brit­ain for 3 years. New King George II was not a lit­erature fan, but Queen Caroline loved poetry and welcomed Voltaire into society. Quickly mastering English, he published The Henriade in English, dedicated to the Queen. And befriended a stimul­at­ing group eg Prime Min Sir Robert Walpole, Lord Boling­­broke, poet Alexander Pope & playwr­ight William Congreve. And he read the work of two of the great think­ers of the C17th: natural scient­ist Isaac New­ton and phil­os­oph­er John Locke.

In Britain Voltaire produced 2 works: Essay Upon Epic Poetry and Essay Upon the Civil Wars in France in 1727. He wrote that humans con­troll­ed their own des­t­iny, rejecting the idea that Divine Inter­vention guided history. After he'd been im­p­ressed by Britain’s free­dom of speech & religious tol­erance, Voltaire returned home in 1729 and saw the UK’s constitut­ional mon­archy as the more progressive. It was easy pub­lish­ing Lett­ers Concerning the Eng­lish Nation in Eng­lish (1733), but pub­lishing the Letters in French was not. The publ­isher was sent to prison and the book was burned publicly.

Voltaire met brilliant mathem­at­ician-scientist Emilie de Breteuil marquise du Châtelet in 1733 and at her invitation the wr­iter moved to Cirey in E France. There they began their 16-year affair. They were a perfect Enlighten­ment couple working together, stud­ying natural sciences, performing their own lab ex­periments, studying history and philosophy. They collected and studied 21,000+ books. Mme du Châtelet’s translation of Newton’s Principia and Volt­aire’s Elements of Newton’s Philosophy were key to in­tro­ducing the new natural philosophy ideas to the Continent
                                                       

Mahomet the Prophet, a five-act tragedy

by Voltaire, 1736.

Wiki

In 1740-9 Voltaire moved between Brussels, Cirey and Paris. His most successful play in the 1740s was Mahomet the Prophet, playing in Lille and then Paris. This study of religious fanaticism por­trayed Mohammed as a power-hungry intrig­ue but Cath­olic clergy saw it as a veiled attack on Christian fanat­ic­ism and burn­ed the book. So Vol­taire asked the Pope for his consent to dedicate Mohammed to him. By then many Frenchmen hailed Voltaire as the greatest writer; he was placed in Germany’s Hall of Fame and was elected a mem­ber of Britain’s Royal Society. But the Ac­ad­émie Fran­çaise rejec­t­ed him again. Only in 1746, with the King and the Pope behind him, was Voltaire fin­al­ly admitted.

Château de Voltaire à Ferney

Voltaire rebuilt the castle entirely from 1758.

Tiqets

Earlier Voltaire received a letter from Frederick Prince of Prussia, starting a long correspondence. In Sept 1749 Madame du Châtelet died in childbirth, devastating Voltaire. So eventually he accepted the invitation of the then-King Frederick to move. The move failed and after 2 years Voltaire was granted leave, leaving Potsdam 1753. Voltaire bought a stylish country house near Geneva in 1754. Having some weal­th then, he built a priv­ate thea­tre but Geneva had a law forbidding theatrical perf­orm­ances. In late 1758 he bought an extensive property on Lake Geneva at Ferney. There he spent his last 20 years, entertaining so­ciety and producing fine works.

The irr­ev­erent Cand­ide (1759) was a witty romance, but also a clear attack on France’s religious philosoph­y. 5 years after Candide, Voltaire published his greatest philosophical writings, Philosophical Dictionary in 1764 where the ideal religion taught morality & rej­ected dogma. Naturally his book was condemned in Paris, Amsterdam and Geneva!!

Candide

published in 1759

In 1778 after 20 years in Ferney, Voltaire longed to return to Paris. He had completed his last work, the tragedy Irene, its first per­formance being at Paris’ National Theatre. His niece-lover Madame Denis was also very keen to return home so they set out, arriving to a hero’s wel­come. The 83 year old man prepared for the opening of Irene, but became seriously ill and soon died. The Church refused to give Voltaire a Christian burial, so his body was taken secretly to an abbey in Champagne and buried.

Voltaire was the perfect Enlightenment man, spending much of his adult career in prison or exile. Alas Vol­taire's France was one in which the monarchy, nobility & clergy dominated. It was an era of book burning and imprison­ment by the ruling class. Ironically the time the French Re­volution began 11 years after Vol­taire died, ideas of universal humanity were popular and only then could Voltaire’s liter­at­ure and campaigning against injustice be truly valued.

Remember hopscotch from 1950s & 1960s?

Although I assumed my post-WW2 generation invented hopscotch, that seems highly unlikely. The earliest confirmed mention of the game actually comes from Britain in C17th; in fact a manuscript book of games from 1635-72 by Francis Willughby and an entry in Poor Robin's Almanack for 1677 contain the earliest references.

Hopscotch players on side of road

The grid was added in chalk

Te Ara New Zealand

Children all over the world play Hopscotch in much the same way, but the patterns they draw can be very different. Children in Scotland have a game where the pattern is like bananas lying next to each other. In Japan there is a pattern that looks like an old telephone with a rotary dial, and in France there is Escargot, a pattern that looks like a snail. In Vietnam there is a game called Build A House, which has floods, fires and the Mekong River, and in China there is a game with an animal’s head at the top of the pattern. There are clearly many different versions of the game.

In Australian schoolyards, the most common pattern was Aeroplane Hoppy with 8 squares. It was usually painted on the ground although some schools had/have chalk for children to use at lunch time, so they can draw their own patterns. This means that Hopscotch can be changing.

As I discovered in my Melbourne primary school, the boys had a full size football field while the girls were given a smaller area of paved ground for games. So small that only a small number of friends could play girls’ games. To play hoppy as we called it, the squares were marked out in chalk and therefore used primarily in summer (to avoid the winter rain). It was shaped as a grid of lined-up squares dispersed with blocks of 2 lateral squares, ending in a home base shaped as a semicircle. The squares are then numbered in the sequence in which they are to be hopped.

A game of hopscotch

Dept of Education, Sth Australia

Each player tossed a small flat marker called a taw in post-WW2 Melbourne (eg coin, large button, horizontal stone) into a numbered square, hopping through the court without stepping on lines or the marker, and picking it up on the way back. The player stopped in the square before the marker, reached down to retrieve the marker and continued the course as stated. This had to be without touching a line or stepping into a square with another player's marker.

I know that hopscotch is said to still be popular but I haven’t seen it played for decades. Then this week outside my coffee shop, I saw the chalk grid laid out on the concrete and some young girls playing as if 1958 was still here ! There have been different versions of this game recorded over the years and in different countries, but hopscotch was and still is an effective form of play that teaches children important skills: hand-eye coordination; balance; body control; social development; arithmetic skills; and leadership. Played in most outdoor places it encouraged physical activity because there were no competing activities: no tv, no mobile phones and no computer games back then. So are these skills still crucial in the modern world because they limit screen time?

Playing jacks, 1954

Facebook

Hula hoops, 

Coleham Primary

skippy on London streets in the 50s

Facebook

There were other memorable games in the 1950s and 60s eg yo-yos, jacks, hula hoops, Oranges and Lemons and Cat’s Cradle string game and skippy. But some of these games were played by children sitting on their bottoms and didn't encourage any physical activity. And there were some games that required the children to buy and bring their own games pieces to school. Unlike hopscotch which only required the teacher to lend a piece of chalk.

If you played hopscotch at school in the 1950s and 1960s, I would be delighted to hear from you. If you played hopscotch since then, let me know if your game differed from how I described it.

Archibald Art winners 2026 in Shepparton

Australia’s favourite and most significant art award opened in Shepparton Art Museum for a Victorian showing of the annual Archibald Prize. Judged by the Art Gallery of New South Wales/NSW trustees, the prize is awarded to the best portrait. Since 1921, it has highlighted figures from all walks of life, from famous faces to local heroes of our times. Australia’s most significant art award is annual Archibald Prize is eagerly anticipated by artists and audiences alike. This touring exhibition is a chance for Victorians to see the 59 finalists, the exhibition's only destination outside NSW.  From 5 Sept–1 Nov 2026, open 7 days a week.

Archibald finalists in NSW Art Gallery, 2026

 
This leading Australian regional art museum is recognised for its Australian nationally significant collection of Indigenous art, its programme designed to be locally relevant while engaging with global contemporary ideas. Via exhibitions, collection & programmes, SAM’s art helps an understanding of ancient cultural Australia AND multicultural Australia.

The Museum announced that it was hosting the Archibald Prize 2026, one of the country’s most beloved annual art events, the first stop after the exhibition closed at the Art Gallery of NSW. From celebrated cultural icons and bold contemporary figures to the artists and activists who shape our national story, the Archibald Prize brings together a compelling portrait collection. They spark talk, reflect identity and invite audiences to look through the eyes of Australian artists. SAM’s commitment to presenting high class art experiences for regional audiences amplifies the cultural vibrancy and creative energy of Central Vic, delivering significant economic impact as well.

SAM Artistic Director said: “We are honoured to be the exclusive Vic host of the Archibald Prize 2026. We are celebrating the extraordinary talent showcased in this iconic exhibition and we’re thrilled to be bringing such an event on the nation’s cultural calendar to the Goulburn Valley.”

NSW’s Gall Director of Collections & Exhibitions said: The Archibald has a long, proud history of connecting audiences over Australia with the best in modern portraiture. Shep AM is an remarkable cultural partner, having hosted the famous Brett Whiteley: Inside the Studio touring exhibition in 2025. See the Archibald Prize 2026 celebrate the extraordinary diversity of artists & sitters from everywhere.”

Shepp City Council Mayor said: “This nationally recognised exhibition is one of Australia’s most prestigious art events. It is attracting visitors from across Australia, boosting local tourism and show casing everything Shepparton has to offer, from our thriving arts scene to our hospitality and culture.” The programme of public events incl artist talks, guided tours, workshops, educational and community activities.

The Museum serves as a dynamic cultural & community hub and houses one of the nation’s key collections of Australian regional holdings of South Eastern Indigenous Art. Through its programmes, events, collection and temporary exhibitions, SAM creates opportunities for creative souls to engage audiences with the stories of our country’s ancient cultures and contemporary multicultural Australia.

Celebrate the Archibald Prize 2026 at SAM with talks featuring artist Richard Lewer, six-time finalist and 2026 Archibald Prize winner, and curator Beatrice Gralton, Senior Curator of Contemporary Australian Art at NSW Art Gallery. Enjoy insight into the artistic and curatorial sides of the celebrated annual prize.

portrait of Iluwanti Ken 

198 x 198cm.

Archibald Winner Richard Lewer.  Iluwanti Ken is an elder, senior artist & traditional healer. I spent time with Iluwanti at Tjala Arts in Amata, Sth Australia. Although we have known one another for several years through shared exhibitions, being on Country together deepened my under-standing of her presence and the responsibilities she carries. Iluwanti paints with an urgency I recognise. Her work depicts the story of the eagles. Birds are in her drawings, paintings and ceramics as teachers of care, protection, provision and resilience, particularly for women and children. These lessons shaped how I approached this portrait. I wanted to convey her strength and attentiveness, and reflect the way she watches over others. Illuwanti is a small woman, but she carries immense, quiet authority. I painted her life‑size so her presence meets the viewer directly. The yellow ochre background holds the intensity of the heat and light we worked in. She loves bright clothing which feels inseparable from her spirit, and the traces of paint on her arm acknowledge her as a working artist.

Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke. 

oil on board, 114 x 150 cm

 Art Gallery NSW

Packing Room Prize by Sean Layh. This portrait is actor Jacob Collins. It arose after Layh saw him in the title role of the 2024 production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet in a Melbourne theatre. It was performed by candlelight in a tight physical setting and blended Hamlet’s dark brooding with the plot’s spooky supernatural undercurrent. Layh paints compositions influenced by classical literature and theatre. He asked if Collins would like to repeat the role for a portrait, depicting Hamlet’s death scene in Tragic History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. But they decided that the final painting, stripped of its obvious props eg poisoned chalices, captured more of the character than his final moments.

Peoples’ Choice Winner Michael Zavros said A while ago my mother thought she saw me on tv, but it was Alex Ryvchin. Then a few friends also observed that we looked alike. Following the attacks on Israel in Oct 2023, Alex was often in the media. As CEO of Exec Council of Australian Jewry, this natural leader spoke passionately about his community’s pain and the changes he feared would emerge here. When two gunmen attacked Jewish people on Bondi Beach in Dec 2025, Alex led the nation in a way our elected leaders failed to do. I found common ground with this man-father. When we met earlier this year, I knew I wanted to paint Alex in the sea, symbolising much for all Australians. His tefillin symbols are so important in contemporary culture.

Michael Zavros, Alex with his tefillin in the sea 

oil on canvas 205 x 138 cm

Art Gallery NSW

HandleBar Adelaide - pub on wheels

The HandleBar Adelaide uses vehicles devised by brothers Henk and Zwier Van Laar in Amsterdam in the 1990s. The four-wheel, open frame vehicles, the size of a family car, have allowed fans to take in dozens of US, European and Asian cityscapes, beer in hand, since the vehicles were first tested. Americ-an Stephen Lindsay and Australian Jason Seris operated 9 of the Amsterdam-manufactured vehicles in the U.S since they took up the venture in 2012. The vehicles were brought to Adelaide in 2016 by Lindsay & Seris because the 2 men found the project has most positive impact in smaller cities. The two men chose Adelaide because they liked the size. From experience in the USA, they found that a somewhat smaller city was generally more receptive

Driving down Franklin St

Experience Adelaide

The men met extensively with Adelaide City Council and State Government agencies to ensure compliance in safety, food and alcohol service, waste disposal, suitable city routes and stopping points. The final stages of securing a liquor licence for the vehicles was critical.

Australia’s first pub on wheels in Adelaide is an open framed, pedal-powered mobile music, fun and drinking experience, offering two-hour tours of the city centre. The bike allows 16 customers to book a tour, pedalling around the CBD at 10 ks per hour, and the company provides the driver. They are tot-ally powered by the pedalling passengers with the driver-bar handler guiding its braking and direction. Each side also has a seat over the wheels, which means they don’t have pedals. Each bike also has a bench in the back that seats 3 people who want a rest and is perfect for those who don’t fit the height (5’3” min) and weight limitations (136 k max).

The HandleBar is great for pre-wedding parties, birthdays, corporate team building and Christmas parties. Australia’s only pedal pub ride includes beer, Adelaide wine, pre-mixed spirits and cider that can be pre-ordered and prepaid online while pedalling around Adelaide’s city centre. Wear sunscreen and hat in summer, comfortable clothes and avoid high heels! The pedal-power exercise is VERY energetic!

 

The driver controls the steering wheel and brakes

Adelaide Mums' Group

Though the vehicle’s speed is provided collectively by the pedalling drinking passengers, steering-braking is the sole responsibility of the driver/bar handler. And while they’re cruising around the city, the bike itself the license making it legal to drink on. So the designated driver  maintains control of the vehicle at all times and the riders don’t have control of steering or braking. And the Adelaide City Council controls vehicle compliance and safety, food and alcohol service, waste disposal, suitable city routes and hotel stopping points en route have been satisfied. Lindsey, who drives one of the vehicles, says he and Seris were in discussion with local bars about stopping off during the tours, choosing handpicked, small pub-crawl stopping points for their customers. For comfort onboard, drinks are pre-organised and paid for online before leaving the starting point, so there no need for cash. If a customer thinks that pedalling tends to make him peckish, he can bring snacks on board. If the whole group pre-books food, everyone can enjoy progressive dinner sampling at some of Adelaide's favourite eateries.

The HandleBar Homebase

Tripadvisor

While the tour drives around,  the customers pedal the streets of Adelaide, enjoying a drink to remain hydrated. Making 2-3 stops along the way, and waving to pedestrians, it is heaps of fun! Sip and sing through Adelaide's vibrant WestEnd aboard a giant party bike. HandleBar trips are Adelaide's most talked-about experiences.

A vehicle can operate with as few as 6 people, people who can decorate the bike, and play their own tunes for a personal touch. There is only one thing I, Helen, cannot find i.e confirmation that the bikes feature electric assistance so groups can pedal less and party more if they choose. I hope it is true. I broke the bottom of one leg 2 legs ago and could not pedal even some of the time.

An organised tour filling two vehicles

Adelaide Mums' Group

Bookings for groups cost $400 Sun-Thu, $500 Fri-Sat. The minimum number per bike is 6, the maximum per bike is 16. Larger parties can rent multiple bikes, the price per party bike remaining fixed regardless of party size. Get details and start planning the adventure at The HandleBar.