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Jules Laforgue

December 15, 2023

Jules Laforgue (French: [ʒyl lafɔʁɡ]; 16 August 1860 – 20 August 1887) was a Franco-Uruguayan poet, often referred to as a Symbolist poet. Critics and commentators have also pointed to Impressionism as a direct influence and his poetry has been called "part-symbolist, part-impressionist".[1] Laforgue was a model for Pierre-Auguste Renoir, including for Renoir's 1881 painting Luncheon of the Boating Party.

Jules Laforgue
Portrait by Franz Skarbina (1885)
Born(1860-08-16)16 August 1860
Montevideo, Uruguay
Died20 August 1887(1887-08-20) (aged 27)
Paris, France

Life edit

His parents, Charles-Benoît Laforgue and Pauline Lacollay, met in Uruguay where his father worked first as a teacher and then a bank employee. Jules was the second of eleven children in the family, the eldest child being Jules' brother Émile, who was to become a sculptor of note. In 1866 the family moved back to France, to Tarbes, his father's hometown, but in 1867 Jules' father and mother chose to return to Uruguay, taking along their nine younger children, leaving Jules and his older brother Émile in Tarbes to be raised with a cousin's family.

In 1876 Jules's father took the family to Paris. In 1877 his mother died of pneumonia, three months after a miscarriage, and Jules, never a good student, failed his baccalaureate exams. (His classmate Henri Bergson passed, and went on to great intellectual achievement as a philosopher.)[2] He failed again in 1878, and then a third time, but on his own began to read the great French authors and visit the museums of Paris.

In 1879 his father became sick and returned to Tarbes, but Jules stayed behind in Paris. He published his first poem in Toulouse. By the end of the year, he had published several poems and was noticed by well-known authors. In 1880 he moved in the literary circles of the capital and became a protégé of Paul Bourget, the editor of the review La Vie moderne.

Much happened to Laforgue in 1881: he attended a course of Taine's lectures and developed a great interest in painting and art. Charles Ephrussi, a rich collector, one of the first collectors of Impressionist art, took Laforgue on as his secretary. The direct influence of Impressionism on Laforgue's early development as a poet is a topic in Laforgue studies. In his introduction to his edition of Les Complaintes, Michael Collie, author of a biography of Laforgue (Laforgue (1963)), states that he sees a more or less conscious attempt on Laforgue's part to produce a literary equivalent of Impressionism. In 1881 Laforgue wrote a novel, Stephane Vassiliew and prepared a collection of poems titled The Tears of the Earth, which he later abandoned, though some pieces were altered for Les Complaintes. Also in 1881 his sister left him alone in Paris to tend to their father who was seriously ill in Tarbes. Around that time, he also began to frequent Le Chat Noir and adopted the style of fumisterie (smoke screening). The origins of this can be found in Willette's panel cartoon, launched in the Parisian cabaret, which centered on a clown called "Pierrot fumiste" and exerted significant influence on Laforgue.[3] When his father died, Laforgue did not attend the funeral.

From November 1881 until 1886, he lived in Berlin, working as the French reader for the Empress Augusta, a sort of cultural counselor. He was well paid and could pursue his interests very freely. In 1885, he wrote L'Imitation de Notre-Dame la Lune, widely regarded as his masterpiece[citation needed].

In 1886, he returned to France and married Leah Lee, an Englishwoman. That year, his poetry was published in La Vogue alongside the work of Arthur Rimbaud.[4] His poem "L'Hiver Qui Vient" ("The Coming Winter") was one of these poems, which he believed set the tone for his work to come.[5] While he was able to publish some experimental writings there, his most creative and original work, at least as he saw it, was not published during his lifetime.[6] He died the next year of tuberculosis, four days after his 27th birthday, his wife following him shortly thereafter. When he died, he left an unfinished book of free verse, Des Fleurs de Bonne Volonté, and an unfinished final essay for his series, Moral Tales.[5]

Influenced by Walt Whitman, Laforgue was one of the first French poets to write in free verse. In fact, his translations of Whitman's poetry, which were published by La Vogue, are believed to have influenced Laforgue's compatriot Gustave Kahn.[5] Philosophically, he was pessimist and an ardent disciple of Schopenhauer and Von Hartmann. His poetry would be one of the major influences on Ezra Pound and the young T. S. Eliot (cf. Prufrock and other observations). Louis Untermeyer wrote,[7] "Prufrock, published in 1917, was immediately hailed as a new manner in English literature and belittled as an echo of Laforgue and the French symbolists to whom Eliot was indebted."

Works edit

  • Soir de Carnaval (ca. 1880)
  • Stéphane Vassiliew (1881, not published until 1943)
  • Les Complaintes (1885)
  • L'Imitation de Notre-Dame la Lune (1886)
  • Moralités légendaires (1887)
  • Des Fleurs de bonne volonté (1890)
  • Derniers vers (1890)
  • Berlin, la cour et la ville (1922)
  • Triste triste[8][9] (1967)
  • Some Poems of Jules Laforgue With Images by Patrick Caulfield (London: Petersburg Press, 1973).

References edit

  1. ^ Dale, Peter. Poems of Jules Laforgue. Anvil Press, 1986.
  2. ^ William R. Everdell, The First Moderns: Profiles in the Origins of Twentieth Century Thought, (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997), 81.
  3. ^ Everdell, The First Moderns, 87.
  4. ^ Kearns, James (1989). Symbolist Landscapes: The Place of Painting in the Poetry and Criticism of Mallarmé and His Circle. MHRA. p. 129. ISBN 094762323X.
  5. ^ a b c Everdell, William (1997). The First Moderns: Profiles in the Origins of Twentieth-Century Thought. University of Chicago. ISBN 9780226224817.
  6. ^ Grojnowski, Daniel (1984). "Poetics of Free Verse: "Last Verses" by Jules Laforgue (1886)". Literary History of France. 84: 390–413.
  7. ^ Untermeyer, Louis. A Concise Treasury of Great Poems, Simon & Schuster, 1953. Only poems originally written in English included.
  8. ^ "Jules Laforgue - Triste, Triste (French Poem)". Jules Laforgue - Triste, Triste (French Poem). Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  9. ^ "Triste, triste". www.laforgue.org. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  • France, Peter (Ed.) (1995). The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-866125-8.

External links edit

External links edit

December 15, 2023
jules, laforgue, french, ʒyl, lafɔʁɡ, august, 1860, august, 1887, franco, uruguayan, poet, often, referred, symbolist, poet, critics, commentators, have, also, pointed, impressionism, direct, influence, poetry, been, called, part, symbolist, part, impressionis. Jules Laforgue French ʒyl lafɔʁɡ 16 August 1860 20 August 1887 was a Franco Uruguayan poet often referred to as a Symbolist poet Critics and commentators have also pointed to Impressionism as a direct influence and his poetry has been called part symbolist part impressionist 1 Laforgue was a model for Pierre Auguste Renoir including for Renoir s 1881 painting Luncheon of the Boating Party Jules LaforguePortrait by Franz Skarbina 1885 Born 1860 08 16 16 August 1860Montevideo UruguayDied20 August 1887 1887 08 20 aged 27 Paris France Contents 1 Life 2 Works 3 References 4 External links 5 External linksLife editHis parents Charles Benoit Laforgue and Pauline Lacollay met in Uruguay where his father worked first as a teacher and then a bank employee Jules was the second of eleven children in the family the eldest child being Jules brother Emile who was to become a sculptor of note In 1866 the family moved back to France to Tarbes his father s hometown but in 1867 Jules father and mother chose to return to Uruguay taking along their nine younger children leaving Jules and his older brother Emile in Tarbes to be raised with a cousin s family In 1876 Jules s father took the family to Paris In 1877 his mother died of pneumonia three months after a miscarriage and Jules never a good student failed his baccalaureate exams His classmate Henri Bergson passed and went on to great intellectual achievement as a philosopher 2 He failed again in 1878 and then a third time but on his own began to read the great French authors and visit the museums of Paris In 1879 his father became sick and returned to Tarbes but Jules stayed behind in Paris He published his first poem in Toulouse By the end of the year he had published several poems and was noticed by well known authors In 1880 he moved in the literary circles of the capital and became a protege of Paul Bourget the editor of the review La Vie moderne Much happened to Laforgue in 1881 he attended a course of Taine s lectures and developed a great interest in painting and art Charles Ephrussi a rich collector one of the first collectors of Impressionist art took Laforgue on as his secretary The direct influence of Impressionism on Laforgue s early development as a poet is a topic in Laforgue studies In his introduction to his edition of Les Complaintes Michael Collie author of a biography of Laforgue Laforgue 1963 states that he sees a more or less conscious attempt on Laforgue s part to produce a literary equivalent of Impressionism In 1881 Laforgue wrote a novel Stephane Vassiliew and prepared a collection of poems titled The Tears of the Earth which he later abandoned though some pieces were altered for Les Complaintes Also in 1881 his sister left him alone in Paris to tend to their father who was seriously ill in Tarbes Around that time he also began to frequent Le Chat Noir and adopted the style of fumisterie smoke screening The origins of this can be found in Willette s panel cartoon launched in the Parisian cabaret which centered on a clown called Pierrot fumiste and exerted significant influence on Laforgue 3 When his father died Laforgue did not attend the funeral From November 1881 until 1886 he lived in Berlin working as the French reader for the Empress Augusta a sort of cultural counselor He was well paid and could pursue his interests very freely In 1885 he wrote L Imitation de Notre Dame la Lune widely regarded as his masterpiece citation needed In 1886 he returned to France and married Leah Lee an Englishwoman That year his poetry was published in La Vogue alongside the work of Arthur Rimbaud 4 His poem L Hiver Qui Vient The Coming Winter was one of these poems which he believed set the tone for his work to come 5 While he was able to publish some experimental writings there his most creative and original work at least as he saw it was not published during his lifetime 6 He died the next year of tuberculosis four days after his 27th birthday his wife following him shortly thereafter When he died he left an unfinished book of free verse Des Fleurs de Bonne Volonte and an unfinished final essay for his series Moral Tales 5 Influenced by Walt Whitman Laforgue was one of the first French poets to write in free verse In fact his translations of Whitman s poetry which were published by La Vogue are believed to have influenced Laforgue s compatriot Gustave Kahn 5 Philosophically he was pessimist and an ardent disciple of Schopenhauer and Von Hartmann His poetry would be one of the major influences on Ezra Pound and the young T S Eliot cf Prufrock and other observations Louis Untermeyer wrote 7 Prufrock published in 1917 was immediately hailed as a new manner in English literature and belittled as an echo of Laforgue and the French symbolists to whom Eliot was indebted Works editSoir de Carnaval ca 1880 Stephane Vassiliew 1881 not published until 1943 Les Complaintes 1885 L Imitation de Notre Dame la Lune 1886 Moralites legendaires 1887 Des Fleurs de bonne volonte 1890 Derniers vers 1890 Berlin la cour et la ville 1922 Triste triste 8 9 1967 Some Poems of Jules Laforgue With Images by Patrick Caulfield London Petersburg Press 1973 References edit Dale Peter Poems of Jules Laforgue Anvil Press 1986 William R Everdell The First Moderns Profiles in the Origins of Twentieth Century Thought Chicago University of Chicago Press 1997 81 Everdell The First Moderns 87 Kearns James 1989 Symbolist Landscapes The Place of Painting in the Poetry and Criticism of Mallarme and His Circle MHRA p 129 ISBN 094762323X a b c Everdell William 1997 The First Moderns Profiles in the Origins of Twentieth Century Thought University of Chicago ISBN 9780226224817 Grojnowski Daniel 1984 Poetics of Free Verse Last Verses by Jules Laforgue 1886 Literary History of France 84 390 413 Untermeyer Louis A Concise Treasury of Great Poems Simon amp Schuster 1953 Only poems originally written in English included Jules Laforgue Triste Triste French Poem Jules Laforgue Triste Triste French Poem Retrieved 2020 07 29 Triste triste www laforgue org Retrieved 2020 07 29 France Peter Ed 1995 The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French Oxford Clarendon Press ISBN 0 19 866125 8 External links editWorks by or about Jules Laforgue at Internet Archive Works by Jules Laforgue at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp http www laforgue org in French http grandementtriste blogspot com in English External links editJules Laforgue at Library of Congress with 55 library catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jules Laforgue amp oldid 1172893379, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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