Lindsay France/University Photography

Daniel Gavin Pierce '91 looks into a display case at the opening reception for "Lafayette: Citizen of Two Worlds," celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, in Kroch Library Sept. 25.

Students, faculty, staff and members of the Ithaca community converged on Kroch Library's Hirshland Gallery Sept. 25 to attend the opening reception for the exhibition "Lafayette: Citizen of Two Worlds." Cornell Library's Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections holds more than 11,000 original Lafayette manuscripts, documents and letters, and associated books, images and artifacts -- the largest Lafayette collection outside France.

Best known for his role in the American and French revolutions, Lafayette (1757-1834) belongs to American and French history. His ideals were formed by the French Enlightenment and his exposure to America's culture of civic equality. As a result, he viewed himself as a citizen of two worlds.

"Lafayette: Citizen of Two Worlds" runs until April 28, 2008. A schedule of music, films and a lecture on Lafayette is available on the exhibition Web site: http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/lafayette/.