Journalists France
Guillaume Apollinaire, real name Wilhelm Albert Vladimir Apollinaris de Wąż-Kostrowicki, a French poet of Polish descent, was a towering figure in the early 20th century's literary and art scenes. Known for his experimental verse and support of avant-garde art movements like Cubism and Surrealism, Apollinaire's work pushed the boundaries of traditional aesthetics and inspired a generation of artists and writers.
Guillaume Apollinaire's literary contributions were vast and varied. He was an early advocate for Cubism, a relationship most prominently seen in his collaborations with artists like Pablo Picasso. He not only wrote about art but also collected it, surrounding himself with works by modernist masters such as Henri Rousseau and Georges Braque. His Paris apartment was a small museum of modern art, filled with pieces he often sold to support his literary endeavors. This vibrant artistic environment fueled his creativity, leading to major works such as Alcools and Calligrammes, which explored the possibilities of poetic form and typography to represent visual and verbal content in a unified way.
Despite his innovative work in poetry and art criticism, Guillaume Apollinaire's life was marked by personal challenges, including a grievous injury during World War I. Yet, even these difficulties did not hinder his prolific output. Among his notable works during this period was the play Les Mamelles de Tirésias, which was performed in 1917 and is considered a precursor to theatrical Surrealism.
Apollinaire's influence extended beyond his lifetime, particularly through his mentoring of future Surrealist leaders like André Breton. His forward-thinking approach to art and literature made him a central figure in the transition from traditional to modernist forms in both fields.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Guillaume Apollinaire's work represents a nexus of literary brilliance and pivotal artistic movements. His life and work provide fascinating insights into the dynamic and transformative world of early 20th-century art and literature.
Sign up for updates on auctions and sales events featuring items related to Guillaume Apollinaire. Stay informed about opportunities to acquire unique artifacts that celebrate his legacy in the realms of poetry and art.
Dominique Aury, real name Anne Desclos, was a French writer, talented journalist, translator and editor.
Dominique Aury held the post of secretary at the publishing house Gallimard in Paris for many years from 1946. She was a jury member for a number of literary prizes, she translated into French works by Thomas Brown, James Hogg, Evelyn Waugh, Arthur Köstler, Yukio Mishima. In her articles she highlighted the problems of translation, analysed the work of English poets and writers, demonstrating a deep understanding of the literary process.
The most famous episode in Ori's career is the erotic novel Histoire d'O, published in 1954 under the cryptonym Pauline Réage. The novel was a resounding and scandalous success and was prosecuted several times. For 40 years, however, Orie never acknowledged her authorship, only to declare it openly in a 1994 interview with The New Yorker, calling the book a love letter to Jean Poland - author of the preface to the first publication of Histoire d'O.
Dominique Orie's writing style was poignant and intellectual, with insightful observations on sexuality and human relationships. She skillfully used words and language to evoke emotion and provoke thought. Her works have had a significant influence on sexual literature and feminist thought.
Édouard Boubat was a French photojournalist and art photographer.
In 1943, he was subjected to service du travail obligatoire, forced labour of French people in Nazi Germany, and witnessed some of the horrors of World War II. He took his first photograph after the war in 1946 and was awarded the Kodak Prize the following year. He travelled internationally for the French magazine Réalités, where his colleague was Jean-Philippe Charbonnier, and later worked as a freelance photographer. French poet Jacques Prévert called him a "peace correspondent" as he was humanist, apolitical and photographed uplifting subjects.
Désiré-Magloire Bourneville was a French physician, neurologist, innovator and educator, and statesman.
Born into a modest family, Bourneville began his medical education in 1860 and for about ten years worked as an assistant to Jean-Martin Charcot, where, together with Paul Régnard, he supervised the publication of "Photographic Iconography of Salpetriere". During the Franco-Prussian War, he served as both surgeon and physician's assistant. Appointed physician at Bissetre, Borneville devoted himself to the medical and educational care of "idiots and epileptics" for whom he organized a service, and later directed the Fondation Vallée in Gentilly until his death. He is considered one of the earliest child psychiatrists.
In 1876, Bourneville was elected a municipal councilor of Paris, three years later he became a general councilor of the Seine, and then a deputy. In this capacity, Bourneville carried out several health reforms: he became the rapporteur for the public assistance budget and the budget for psychiatric asylums, achieved the creation of the first special classes for mentally retarded children, and the first municipal nursing school in Salpêtrière.
Bourneville had many very different talents. Very early on he became interested in medical journalism, where he made a name for himself through the vividness of his articles. In 1873, he founded the journal Progrès Médical, which promoted the tenets of avant-garde medicine, open to pioneering scientific developments (Bourneville published Charcot's lessons) and social issues. He fully developed the theoretical and practical foundations of teaching for the nursing profession. Outraged by the lack of practitioners' professional knowledge of obstetrics, he worked to create a new medical specialty, gynecology. But his main purpose in life was to educate and nurture those who were labeled "idiots" and mentally retarded.
Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Breton de la Martinière was a French stenographer, journalist, translator and writer.
Breton was a founding member of a group of stenographers of the Legislative Assembly and stenographed debates from 1792. He became parliamentary reporter in 1815 and remained so until his death. He was also one of the founders of Le stenographer of the Chambers and the Gazette des tribunals. A polyglot and knowing almost all the languages of Europe, Breton often acted as an interpreter in the courts.
Breton de la Martinière published books on China, as well as on Egypt and Syria, where he used materials by the scholar Jean-Joseph Marcel, who accompanied Napoleon to Egypt in 1798. The text contains much information on the customs, religion, and antiquities of Egypt, as well as a fascinating description of the recent French occupation.
Massimo Campigli was an Italian painter and writer. He was studied art in Florence and Paris.
Campigli's art was heavily influenced by the Cubist and Surrealist movements, and his paintings often featured bold, geometric shapes and stylized figures. He was known for his use of bright colors and flat planes of color, which gave his work a sense of depth and dimension.
In addition to his art, Campigli was also a writer, and published several books and essays on art and literature throughout his career. He was a member of the Italian Communist Party, and his political beliefs often informed his work.
Campigli's art was widely exhibited throughout Europe and the United States during his lifetime, and he received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the arts.
Today, Campigli is considered one of the most important Italian painters of the 20th century, and his work continues to be studied and exhibited around the world. His legacy has had a significant impact on the development of modern and contemporary art.
Alphonse Daudet was a French novelist and short-story writer, best remembered for his sentimental tales of provincial life in southern France. Born in Nîmes in 1840, Alphonse Daudet's early life was marked by financial hardship, influencing much of his later work. He moved to Paris with his brother Ernest and quickly immersed himself in the literary world, publishing his first collection of poems, Les Amoureuses, at a young age.
Alphonse Daudet's career flourished with notable works such as Le Petit Chose, Tartarin de Tarascon, and Lettres de Mon Moulin, which highlighted the charm and simplicity of rural life in Provence. His storytelling, often infused with humor and satire, made significant contributions to French literature, capturing the essence of Provencal culture.
Despite his literary success, Alphonse Daudet's personal life was fraught with challenges, including a long-term illness that he bravely depicted in his later works. He passed away in Paris in 1897, leaving behind a legacy celebrated for its profound impact on regionalist literature and its vivid portrayal of French life and culture during the 19th century.
For those interested in the intricate tapestry of French literature and the enchanting allure of Provence, Alphonse Daudet's works offer a gateway to the past, brimming with the richness of its regional heritage and the timeless appeal of its narratives. To delve deeper into Daudet's life and explore his contributions to literature, subscribing to updates on related sales and auction events can be a rewarding pursuit for collectors and enthusiasts alike, ensuring they remain informed about opportunities to engage with his enduring legacy.
Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, Comte de Saint-Exupéry, known as Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, is a French national treasure who seamlessly combined his profession as an aviator with his literary genius. Known for "The Little Prince," he masterfully blended philosophy and poetic discourse into narrative forms. This author, journalist, and pioneering pilot left an indelible mark through his literary works and contributions to aviation.
Saint-Exupéry's merits transcend his inventive storytelling; his narratives often reflect his aviation experiences, offering unique insights into humanity and technology's intersection. His works, though not housed as traditional art in museums, reside in the Louvre of public imagination and literary canon.
For enthusiasts and experts, Saint-Exupéry's legacy is a testament to the enduring power of human spirit and curiosity. His narrative sculptures crafted from words, deeply philosophical and yet whimsically accessible, continue to inspire and resonate. Dive into the world of this exceptional storyteller and aviator to explore the skies of human experience.
Léon-Paul Fargue was a French poet and novelist, journalist and publicist.
Léon-Paul studied at the Lycée Henry IV in Paris and as a young man became a member of the Symbolist circle associated with Le Mercure de France. His first collection of poems was published in 1912 and reprinted in 1918. After 1930, Fargue practiced journalism almost exclusively, writing newspaper columns and lyrical essays on Parisian life.
Léon Fargue's work encompasses various literary movements, being a kind of bridge from Symbolism to Surrealism. His work has also been associated with the Dadaists and the Cubists, but he followed his own path throughout his life. Fargue was among the founders of the Nouvelle Revue Française in 1912 and participated in the first issue of the surrealist journal Literature in 1919, and was one of the leaders of the experimental journal Commerce in the 1920s. Farg was friends with many writers, artists and composers, including Pablo Picasso and Igor Stravinsky.
In 1937, Léon-Paul Fargue was elected a member of the Académie Mallarmé, and in 1946 he won the Grand Poet Laureate of Paris.
Albert Flament was a French journalist and writer.
Flament was a well-known critic and journalist. He used the pseudonym Sparklet for his columns in L'echo de Paris, and also worked for Revue de Paris and Fémina magazines.
One of his notable works is the text to Georges Barbier's magical Art Deco drawings in the album Characters of Comedy (1922). Albert Flament's description of the great roles and characters of the world theater is an absent-minded meditation, a half-sleep.
Pierre Mac Orlan, real name Pierre Dumarchey, is a French writer, poet, screenwriter, playwright, artist and journalist.
Pierre Dumarchey spent his youth leading a bohemian lifestyle, but by the age of 20 he had already published several collections of short stories with his own illustrations. He socialized with many contemporary writers and artists, played the accordion, and many of his songs were quite popular in cabarets. In World War
I in 1916, Pierre Dumarchey was wounded, after which he worked as a war correspondent. In the late 1920s, he became an influential critic of film and photography. And later became a famous writer under the pseudonym Pierre Mac-Orlan. Based on his most famous novel Quai des Brumes ("Port of Shadows"), French director Marcel Carné made a movie of the same name in 1938.
In addition to his numerous novels, Mac-Orlan published under various pseudonyms in erotic magazines. Pierre Mac-Orlan was a very prolific writer: in 1969-1971, a collection of his works in 24 volumes was published, which, however, did not include his many erotic works.
Karl Marx, full name Karl Heinrich Marx, was a German philosopher, sociologist, historian and economist, social activist, and journalist. One of the most significant political figures in the world, his works have had a great influence on the course of human history.
Karl Heinrich Marx was born into a large Jewish family of rabbinic dynasty, but his father and Karl himself were baptized. The young Karl received a liberal arts education at the University of Bonn and the University of Berlin and was actively involved in the turbulent political life of Germany and France in the 19th century. For his political activities in 1849 he was expelled from Germany, moved with his family to Paris and then to London, where he lived and worked until the end of his life.
In 1844 he met the German socialist Friedrich Engels, who became his friend and collaborator for the rest of his life. Together they had already published the Manifesto of the Communist Party (1848), the most famous pamphlet in the history of the socialist movement. Karl Marx was also the author of the movement's most important book, Das Kapital (Capital). These and other writings of Marx and Engels formed the basis of the system of views and beliefs known as Marxism.
Marx examined the very different versions of socialism that existed in the early nineteenth century and combined them into a doctrine that remained the dominant version of socialism for half a century after his death. His emphasis on the influence of economic structure on historical development was of enduring importance.
