Of Portuguese Jewish extraction, Mendès was born in Bordeaux.[1] After childhood and adolescence in Toulouse, he arrived in Paris in 1859 and quickly became one of the protégés of the poet Théophile Gautier. He promptly attained notoriety with the publication in the La Revue fantaisiste (1861) of his Roman d'une nuit, for which he was condemned to a month's imprisonment and a fine of 500 francs. He was allied with Parnassianism from the beginning of the movement and displayed extraordinary metrical skill in his first volume of poems, Philoméla (1863). His critics have noted that the elegant verse of his later volumes is distinguished rather by dexterous imitation of different writers than by any marked originality. The versatility and fecundity of Mendès' talent is shown in his critical and dramatic writings, including several libretti, and in his novels and short stories. His short stories continue the French tradition of the licentious conte.[2]
In his early period, Mendès sometimes published under the pseudonym Jacques Rollin.[3][4]
In 1866, Mendès married Judith Gautier, the younger daughter of his mentor Théophile. They soon separated, and in 1869 he began cohabiting with the composer Augusta Holmès with whom he had five children, including:[5]
Huguette Mendès (1871–1964)
Claudine Mendès (1876–1937)
Helyonne Mendès (1879–1955)
The couple parted in 1886, and he later married the poet Jeanne Nette, who was to be his last companion.[6]
Death
Early on the morning of 8 February 1909, the body of Mendès was discovered in the railway tunnel of Saint Germain. He had left Paris by the midnight train on the 7th, and it is supposed that, thinking he had arrived at the station, he had opened the door of his compartment while still in the tunnel,[2] although some biographers have suggested suicide. His body was interred at the Montparnasse Cemetery.[6]
Works
Collections of poetry
Philoméla (1863)
Poésies, première série (1876), which includes much of his earlier verse
Soirs moroses, Contes épiques, Philoméla, etc.; Poésies (7 vols., 1885), a new edition largely augmented
Les Poésies de Catulle Mendès (3 vols., 1892)
Nouveaux Contes de Jadis (1893), Editeur Paul Ollendorff, Paris
La Reine Fiammette (1898), a conte dramatique in six acts and in verse, set in Renaissance Italy, later set to music by Xavier Leroux, for which see: La reine Fiammette
In the same year, Catulle Mendes wrote in Le Figaro that it was after reading the book of Gobineau "Les Religions et les Philosophies dans d´Asie centrale" that he had the idea to write a drama about the first woman disciple of the Báb: the persan erudite and illustrious poet Tahéreh (Táhirih)[7]
Critical works
Le NU au SALON, 1900 (published in 1901). The cover image is of a painting by Jules Scalbert, gravure de Louis Geisler [fr].
Richard Wagner (1886)
L'Art au théâtre (3 vols; 1896–1900), a series of dramatic criticisms reprinted from newspapers
A report addressed to the minister of public instruction and of the fine arts on Le Mouvement poétique francais de 1867 à 1900 (new ed., 1903), which includes a bibliographical and critical dictionary of the French poets of the 19th century.
Novels
Zo'har (1886), a story of incest in which the woman is virile and the man is feeble
L'Évangile de la jeunesse de Notre-Seigneur Jésus-Christ d'apres S. Pierre Mis En Francais Par Catulle Mendès Apres Le Manucrit De L'Abbaye De Saint Wolfgang (1894). Presented as a lost Latin document from the abbey of St. Wolfgang im Salzkammergut, with a translation from Mendès to French, although considered a literary forgery entirely written by Mendès by most.[8]
^"Mendès, Catulle". JewishEncyclopedia.com. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
^ abOne or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Mendès, Catulle". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 18 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 124–125. The bibliography is partly derived from this article.
^Henri d'Alméras, Avant la gloire: leurs débuts, 1e série (1902), p. 91
^"Auguste Renoir | The Daughters of Catulle Mendès, Huguette (1871–1964), Claudine (1876–1937), and Helyonne (1879–1955) | The Met". metmuseum.org. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 13 February 2017.
^ ab"Biografía de Catulle Mendès". Iesxunqueira1.com. Retrieved 13 December 2013.
Works by Catulle Mendès at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)
Wagnerian Discord Echoed, The New York Times, June 10, 1894
Web site in Spanish of Catulle Mendès
May 01, 2023
catulle, mendès, 1841, february, 1909, french, poet, letters, born, 1841, 1841bordeaux, francedied8, february, 1909, 1909, aged, saint, germain, franceoccupationpoetgenrepoetryliterary, movementparnassianismspousejudith, gautierjeanne, nettepartneraugusta, hol. Catulle Mendes 22 May 1841 8 February 1909 was a French poet and man of letters Catulle MendesBorn 1841 05 22 22 May 1841Bordeaux FranceDied8 February 1909 1909 02 08 aged 67 Saint Germain FranceOccupationPoetGenrePoetryLiterary movementParnassianismSpouseJudith GautierJeanne NettePartnerAugusta Holmes Contents 1 Early life and career 2 Personal life 2 1 Death 3 Works 3 1 Collections of poetry 3 2 For theatre 3 3 Critical works 3 4 Novels 3 5 Documents 3 6 Books in English 4 References 5 External linksEarly life and career EditOf Portuguese Jewish extraction Mendes was born in Bordeaux 1 After childhood and adolescence in Toulouse he arrived in Paris in 1859 and quickly became one of the proteges of the poet Theophile Gautier He promptly attained notoriety with the publication in the La Revue fantaisiste 1861 of his Roman d une nuit for which he was condemned to a month s imprisonment and a fine of 500 francs He was allied with Parnassianism from the beginning of the movement and displayed extraordinary metrical skill in his first volume of poems Philomela 1863 His critics have noted that the elegant verse of his later volumes is distinguished rather by dexterous imitation of different writers than by any marked originality The versatility and fecundity of Mendes talent is shown in his critical and dramatic writings including several libretti and in his novels and short stories His short stories continue the French tradition of the licentious conte 2 In his early period Mendes sometimes published under the pseudonym Jacques Rollin 3 4 Personal life Edit A portrait of Mendes daughters Huguette Claudine and Helyonne by Auguste Renoir 1888 at The Metropolitan Museum of Art In 1866 Mendes married Judith Gautier the younger daughter of his mentor Theophile They soon separated and in 1869 he began cohabiting with the composer Augusta Holmes with whom he had five children including 5 Huguette Mendes 1871 1964 Claudine Mendes 1876 1937 Helyonne Mendes 1879 1955 The couple parted in 1886 and he later married the poet Jeanne Nette who was to be his last companion 6 Death Edit Early on the morning of 8 February 1909 the body of Mendes was discovered in the railway tunnel of Saint Germain He had left Paris by the midnight train on the 7th and it is supposed that thinking he had arrived at the station he had opened the door of his compartment while still in the tunnel 2 although some biographers have suggested suicide His body was interred at the Montparnasse Cemetery 6 Works EditCollections of poetry Edit Philomela 1863 Poesies premiere serie 1876 which includes much of his earlier verse Soirs moroses Contes epiques Philomela etc Poesies 7 vols 1885 a new edition largely augmented Les Poesies de Catulle Mendes 3 vols 1892 Nouveaux Contes de Jadis 1893 Editeur Paul Ollendorff Paris La Grive des vignes 1895 For theatre Edit Sarah Bernhardt as St Theresa in La Vierge d Avila 1906 La Part du roi 1872 a one act verse comedy Les Freres d armes 1873 drama Justice 1877 in three acts characterized by a hostile critic as a hymn in praise of suicide Le Capitaine Fracasse 1878 libretto of a light opera based on Theophile Gautier s novel Gwendoline 1886 and Briseis 1897 for the music of Chabrier La Femme de Tabarin 1887 Isoline 1888 for the music of Messager Medee 1898 in three acts and in verse La Reine Fiammette 1898 a conte dramatique in six acts and in verse set in Renaissance Italy later set to music by Xavier Leroux for which see La reine Fiammette Le Cygne 1899 for the music of Lecocq La Carmelite 1902 for the music of Reynaldo Hahn Le Fils de l etoile 1904 the hero of which is Bar Kokhba the Syrian pseudo Messiah for the music of Camille Erlanger Scarron 1905 Ariane 1906 and Bacchus 1909 for the music of Massenet Glatigny 1906 La Vierge d Avila 1906 for Sarah BernhardtIn the same year Catulle Mendes wrote in Le Figaro that it was after reading the book of Gobineau Les Religions et les Philosophies dans d Asie centrale that he had the idea to write a drama about the first woman disciple of the Bab the persan erudite and illustrious poet Tahereh Tahirih 7 Critical works Edit Le NU au SALON 1900 published in 1901 The cover image is of a painting by Jules Scalbert gravure de Louis Geisler fr Richard Wagner 1886 L Art au theatre 3 vols 1896 1900 a series of dramatic criticisms reprinted from newspapers A report addressed to the minister of public instruction and of the fine arts on Le Mouvement poetique francais de 1867 a 1900 new ed 1903 which includes a bibliographical and critical dictionary of the French poets of the 19th century Novels Edit Zo har 1886 a story of incest in which the woman is virile and the man is feeble Le Roi vierge 1880 in which he introduces Louis II of Bavaria and Richard Wagner L Homme tout nu 1887 Mephistophela 1890 La Maison de la vielle 1894 Gog 1897 Documents Edit L Evangile de la jeunesse de Notre Seigneur Jesus Christ d apres S Pierre Mis En Francais Par Catulle Mendes Apres Le Manucrit De L Abbaye De Saint Wolfgang 1894 Presented as a lost Latin document from the abbey of St Wolfgang im Salzkammergut with a translation from Mendes to French although considered a literary forgery entirely written by Mendes by most 8 Books in English Edit Mendes Catulle 2007 Bluebirds Translated by Stableford Brian Snuggly Books ISBN 9781943813254 References Edit Mendes Catulle JewishEncyclopedia com Retrieved 13 December 2013 a b One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Mendes Catulle Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 18 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 124 125 The bibliography is partly derived from this article Henri d Almeras Avant la gloire leurs debuts 1e serie 1902 p 91 Annuaire de la presse francaise 1885 p XIV Auguste Renoir The Daughters of Catulle Mendes Huguette 1871 1964 Claudine 1876 1937 and Helyonne 1879 1955 The Met metmuseum org The Metropolitan Museum of Art Retrieved 13 February 2017 a b Biografia de Catulle Mendes Iesxunqueira1 com Retrieved 13 December 2013 A La Hauteur Isma Forghani ISBN 978 2 343 17990 2 l Harmattan James Montague Rhodes 1924 The Apocryphal New Testament Oxford Clarendon Press p 479 via Wikisource scan External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Catulle Mendes French Wikisource has original text related to this article Catulle Mendes Works by Catulle Mendes at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Catulle Mendes at Internet Archive Works by Catulle Mendes at LibriVox public domain audiobooks Wagnerian Discord Echoed The New York Times June 10 1894 Web site in Spanish of Catulle Mendes Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Catulle Mendes amp oldid 1139627764, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
