Who was Theophile Gautier ?

Look at the leaves, How white they are. It's snowing acorns laughing in the snow, The sun wipes The weeping willows, And the sky reflects In the violet Its pure colors. The fly opens the wing, And the young lady With silver eyes In the wasp corset, Unfolding his pancake, Has resumed the boom. Water babbles happily The stud wriggles: No more spring

Théophile Gautier

Who was Théophile Gautier?
Sep 24


Théophile Gautier, born August 30, 1811 in Tarbes and died October 23, 1872 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (at the age of 61), is a French poet, painter, writer and art critic.

He is notably the author of the collection of poems Enamels and cameos (1852), and of the novels Le Roman de la momie (1858) and Le Capitaine Fracasse (1863), his most famous work.

He is the contemporary of the writers Victor Hugo, Honoré de Balzac (whose biography he wrote in 1859), Gustave Flaubert and Prosper Mérimée.

His formula of art for art was taken up by the poets of contemporary Parnassus.

Biography
Théophile Gautier's family was well-off and well-educated.

In 1822, he left for Paris to begin his studies. In 1829, he met Victor Hugo, who liked him and respected him a lot.

In 1830 Gautier took an interest in painting and poetry and published his Poésies during the same year. In February 1830, with Gérard de Nerval, he was one of the main actors in the battle of Hernani which, by defending the dramatic play by Victor Hugo, caused a theatrical scandal. But in 1830 during the July Revolution, he was forced to earn a living after his father's bankruptcy.

In 1836, Théophile Gautier became a journalist for the review “La Presse”. He writes over 1,200 articles and works tirelessly, like a convict.

A great traveler, he has visited Belgium, Spain, England, Algeria, Italy, Constantinople and Russia. He has drawn inspiration from his many travels to write short stories, poems and travelogues.

In 1836, Théophile Gautier became a journalist for the review “La Presse”. He writes over 1,200 articles and works tirelessly, like a convict.

A great traveler, he has visited Belgium, Spain, England, Algeria, Italy, Constantinople and Russia. He has drawn inspiration from his many travels to write short stories, poems and travelogues.

Théophile Gautier is a very complete author passionate about the arts. He has written novels, short stories, essays, poems, plays, ballets, travelogues as well as musical, dramatic, literary and artistic reviews. But he was also a painter and designer.

His son, Théophile Charles Marie Gautier (1836-1904) participated in his father's articles and translated from German the Adventures of Baron de Münchausen nicknamed Baron de Crac or The Flower of German Gasconnades, with illustrations by Gustave Doré, in 1857

 

Théophile Gautier shines in the genres:

Poetic: The Comedy of Death (1838), Enamels and cameos (1852) ...

Epistolary: Mademoiselle de Maupin (1835) ...

Theatrical: A Devil's Tear (1839) ...

Narrative: La Cafetière (1831), Omphale (1834), Le Chevalier Double (1840), Le Roman de la Momie (1858), Le Capitaine Fracasse (1863) ...

· He participated in the writing of the libretto of Giselle (1841), the first romantic ballet.