An attempt at a comparative definition of «variant-based criticism » and genetic criticism. Introduction of the notions of micro-variant and macro-variant. Reflexions on the treatment of successive texts and superimposed texts, and stress on the importance of the system/structure dialectic. A historical clarification : 1) presence of authors' variants in classical and medieval literatures ; 2) first pieces of research on rough drafts and authors' variants in Italian philology of the 16th and 17th centuries, and first attempts at genetic editions ; 3) Gianfranco Contini's theorical contribution to the problem of authors' variants. Survey of Italian analyses and genetic editions after Contini, and modifications of the theoretical framework after considerable enrichment of the corpus and extension beyond purely aesthetic consideration of variants. Changes in texts in relationship to changes in literary practice on the part of authors and readers.

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